DAVID SHAPSHAK, Johannesburg | Saturday 6.00pm.
A RAMPANT Cats side ran in eight tries to two to convincingly beat the Northern Bulls 57-24 at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Cats, leading 36-14 at the break, stamped their authority early on in this regional equivalent of the old Transvaal (Cats)/Northern Transvaal (Bulls) derby.
Playing superior running rugby, the Cats seized on any mistake by the hapless Bulls, winning four intercept tries in the first half, including three in the first 16 minutes.
The talent-studded side is finally starting to perform as expected, after thrashing the Wellington Hurricanes 43-17 last weekend.
First half tries went to Chris Kruger (2), Andre Venter, captain Rassie Erasmus and Thinus Delport, while in the second spell man-of-the-match Erasmus scored again, with Conrad Stoltz and Ricardo Loubscher also claiming tries.
Peter O’Neill converted six tries and a penalty, and put Stoltz away for his try; while Kruger slotted the last conversion.
For the visitors Franco Smith made the biggest contribution: scoring four penalties (two in the opening six minutes) and sold a good dummy to set Gavin Lawless away for his sides’ only try, a barge-over in first-half injury time.
The Cats forwards dominated their opponents, especially the home side’s all Springbok loose forwards who produced stand-out performances.
Interestingly, the game featured three sets of brothers: for the Bulls, Jannie (flank) and Dannie van Wyk (hooker) and Conrad Stoltz (centre), while his youngster brother Thys (lock), and Jorrie (fullback) and Chris Kruger (centre) turned out for the Cats.
Scorers: Cats — Tries: Chris Kruger (2), Rassie Erasmus (2), Andre Venter, Thinus Delport, Conrad Stoltz, Ricardo Laubscher; Conversions: Peter O’Neill (6), Jorrie Kruger; Penalties: O’Neill.
Bulls — Tries: Gavin Lawless, Schutte Bekker; Conversions: Franco Smith; Penalties: Smith (4).