The Absa Currie Cup Trophy Tour will be held at Loch Logan Shopping Centre outside Kloppers, Bloemfontein, on Wednesday 08 September from 14:00 until 15:00.

The Cheetahs starting 22 players will be at the Trophy Tour to sign autographs and have photographs taken with fans in front of the Absa Currie Cup trophy, which remains the most prestigious and coveted prize in South African rugby.

Summary:

• Date: 08.09.2010

• Venue: Loch Logan Waterfront Mall

• Time: 14:00 until 15:00

• Draw card: Absa Currie Cup trophy on display and Cheetahs starting 22

• Activities: Player autographs and photo opportunities for fans with players and the Absa Currie Cup trophy

[Info from Rugby15]

Ashley Johnson tackles Sarel Pretorius in photo by Gerhard Steenkamp

Solid defence by the Free State Cheetahs late in their Absa Currie Cup match against Griquas on Friday night earned them a well-deserved 33-28 win. Griquas now have a mountain to climb if they want to reach the semi-finals.

The Cheetahs did not play well in the first half but looked like a totally different team after the break, combining quality rugby with impressive defence. The first real exciting play of the match was when Griquas right-winger Rocco Jansen ran around his direct opponent Jongi Nokwe.

The home side then piled on the pressure and received a penalty which Naas Olivier successfully converted to give the home side a 6-0 lead. His earlier kick was from 42 meters out.

Griquas again went on the run after a Free State handling error and with clean service from scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, Olivier kicked a 50 meter drop goal to stretch the lead to 9-0.

The Cheetahs bounced back via a Ashley Johnson try next to the uprights. From an attacking scrum, fullback Hennie Daniller come close before Johnson grabbed his chance. Louis Strydom converted to reduce the deficit to 7-9 on the stroke of the first quarter. He later added a penalty for a lead the Cheetahs did not concede again.

With Griquas strongly on attack in the Cheetahs half, Pretorius last the ball, and from that change in possession Daniller counter attacked. Johnson handled and sent Nokwe over for a great score.

The Springbok speedster had a lot to do and got past three defenders for a try that silenced the crowd, who only seconds earlier were hoping for a Griqua score.

Strydom’s conversion earned his team a 17-9 lead at the break.

Where the first 40 minutes produced little action, the second half was action packed.

Two Strydom penalties stretched the Free State lead to 23-9 before Olivier pulled five back with a try eight minutes into the second stanza. Riaan Viljoen could not add the extra two but Griquas were back in the game … Before Nokwe scored his second try from a good inside pass from Meyer Bosman.

With Strydom’s conversion it seemed as if the match was out of Griquas’ grasp.

But the hosts fought back with a try by Cecil Kemp. Olivier converted to make 33-21 to Free State.

Griquas had all the possession in the last 10 minutes and had several chances to score, but the Cheetahs defended brilliantly, keeping the Griquas at bay until two minutes before the final whistle, when eighthman Burger Schoeman finally dotted down. It was however too late.

Point scorers:

Cheetahs: Tries: Ashley Johnson, Jongi Nokwe (2). Conversions: Louis Strydom (3) . Penalties: Strydom (3), Bosman.

Griquas: Tries: Naas Olivier, Cecil Kemp, Burger Schoeman. Conversions: Naas Olivier (2). Penalties: Naas Olivier (2). Drop goal: Olivier.

[Info from Sport24.co.za]

Jongi Nokwe scoring his 2nd try in Photo by Gerhard Steenkamp

Unfortunately this match is not televised live on Supersport tonight. We will have to rely on media reports and on updates via radio and online. Regular score updates will be available on cellular phones via mediums such as the websites of Rugby15.mobi and OFM.co.za.

This would also be shared on the Vodacom Cheetahs Fan page on Facebook.

For a preview - courtesy of Rugby15.co.za, find information below:

Head to Head: GWK Griquas v Vodacom Free State Cheetahs (since 2005)
P: 10 W: 1 L: 9 PF: 164 PA: 328

23/07/2005 Griquas 17 Free State 19 Absa Park, Kimberley
24/06/2006 Griquas 14 Free State 55 Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
19/08/2006 Griquas 20 Free State 31 Absa Park, Kimberley
07/07/2007 Griquas 10 Free State 51 Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
08/09/2007 Griquas 17 Free State 21 Absa Park, Kimberley
20/06/2008 Griquas 16 Free State 20 Absa Park, Kimberley
08/08/2008 Griquas 3 Free State 22 Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
10/07/2009 Griquas 28 Free State 18 Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
29/08/2009 Griquas 13 Free State 58 Absa Park, Kimberley
16/07/2010 Griquas 26 Free State 33 Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein

“Vodacom Free State Cheetahs prop Coenie Oosthuizen scored a hat-trick of tries to steer his side to 33-26 win over the GWK Griquas in Bloemfontein when these sides met in week two of the 2010 Absa Currie Cup.”
GWK Griquas’ recent form at home:
• The hosts suffered their first home defeat in this season’s competition last Saturday following their 50-3 loss to Vodacom Western Province. They have recorded two home wins over The Sharks (40-34) in week one and the Xerox Lions (26-20) in week three in this year’s Absa Currie Cup.

• The GWK Griquas had a mix season in terms of results in Kimberley during last year’s competition. They recorded four wins and three defeats at GWK Park including victories over semi-finalists Vodacom Western Province and finalists Vodacom Free State Cheetahs.

• The Kimberley side however suffered home defeats against the Xerox Lions and the Vodacom Blue Bulls last year.

Vodacom Free State Cheetahs’ recent form on the road:
• The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs recorded a 25-23 victory over the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in week three and a 45-30 win over the Barloworld Toyota Pumas during last weekend’s action in this year’s competition. They however conceded a 30-26 defeat against the Xerox Lions in week six’s action of the 2010 Absa Currie Cup.

• The visitors won four games on the road during last year’s Absa Currie Cup including their semi-final win over The Sharks in Durban.
Additional information:

• GWK flyhalf Naas Olivier has scored 650 points in his Absa Currie Cup career. The pivot has added 220 for Vodacom Western Province, 163 for the Platinum Leopards and 267 for his current side.

• Vodacom Free State Cheetahs flyhalf Louis Strydom has played 107 Absa Currie Cup games and has scored 789 career points in the competition.

• Winger Bjorn Basson (GWK Griquas) made his international Test debut for the Springboks against Wales earlier this year and is the leading try-scorer in this season’s Absa Currie Cup with 13.

• Springbok winger Jongi Nokwe has scored 44 Absa Currie Cup tries in his career.

• Lock Hendrik Roodt (GWK Griquas), who represented the NSW Waratahs during this year’s Vodacom Super 14, represented the SA Schools in 2005.

• Robert Ebersohn (Vodacom Free State Cheetahs) captained the SA Under-20s during the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship in Japan.

• SARRA referee Sandile Mayende will handle this match between the GWK Griquas and the Vodacom Free State Cheetahs.

Vodacom Free State Cheetahs vs GWK Griquas

Friday, 3 September, 17:00

15. HENNIE DANILLER
14. PHILIP SNYMAN
13. ROBERT EBERSOHN
12. MEYER BOSMAN
11. JONGI NOKWE
10. LOUIS STRYDOM
9. TEWIS DE BRUYN
8. ASHLEY JOHNSON
7. PHILIP VAN DER WALT
6. HENDRO SCHOLTZ
5. WALTIE VERMEULEN
4. FRANCOIS UYS
3. KOBUS CALLDO
2. ADRIAAN STRAUSS (KAPT)
1. COENIE OOSTHUIZEN

Replacements

16. SKIPPER BADENHORST
17. WP NEL
18. IZAK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
19. KABAMBA FLOORS
20 TERTIUS CARSE
21. SIAS EBERSOHN
22.. RIAAN SMIT

Venue: Newlands Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 19h30

Referee: Pro Legoete

Match Report:

First Half:

2min: WP 0 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 0 Gio Aplon goes over after quick throw-in but steps on the line and seen by TMO

12min: WP 0 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 3 Louis Strydom kicks penalty after Francois Louw is penalized for not releasing

18min: WP 3 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 3 Willem De Waal kicks penalty after Free State is penalized for going off-sides

21min: WP 3 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 6 Louis Strydom kicks penalty. Paul Bosch penalized for playing on the ground

26min: WP 3 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 9 Louis Strydom kick penalty after good inter-play between the backs

35min: WP 3 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 12 Louis Strydom kick penalty after Wicus Blaauw is penalized at scrum time

37min: WP 3 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 12 Willem De Waal misses penalty after Coenie Oosthuizen concedes penalty in scrum

Half Time:WP 3 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 12

44min: WP 10 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 12 Try by Adriaan Fondse after mistake from kick -off and several phases of play. Converted by Willem De Waal

54min: WP 10 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 15 Penalty by Louis Strydom after Francois Louw concedes another penalty

54min: WP 10 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 22 Try Kabamba Floors after great break by Meyer Bosman past Willem De Waal

60min: WP 10 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 29  Try Jongi Nokwe after great inter-play between several players

64min: WP 17 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 29 Try Gio Aplon after penalty and good line-out drive. Converted by Willem De Waal

76min: WP 24 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 29 Try by Vermeulen converted by De Waal

Result WP 24 Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 29