Blue Bulls edge Griffons

Welkom - The Vodacom Blue Bulls began the defence of their R1-million Vodacom Cup title with a hard-fought 22-17 (halftime 13-8) away win over the Griffons in a North section match played at the North West Stadium in Welkom on Friday.

In a game that failed to scale any great heights, the Griffons, the reigning Currie Cup First Division champions, opened the scoring in the third minute when flyhalf Hugo Kleynhans landed a neatly struck penalty.

Spurred into action on a humid Free State evening, the visitors took the lead eight minutes later when prop Jaco Engels powered his way over for flyhalf Francois Brummer to convert and make it 7-3.

Brummer, who scored 42 points in three matches for the Bulls in his debut first-class season last year, then extended the lead to seven points in the 27th minute with the first of two first-half penalties.

In between, the spirited home side got a try of their own through mobile hooker Jan-Louis Coetzee which narrowed the gap, but one sensed that the men from Pretoria had just enough in the tank to keep the Griffons at bay.

The second half quickly descended into a kicking duel, with Kleyhans landing three penalties, in the 61st, 70th and 77th minutes to keep the Griffons in with a chance of upsetting the champions.

But Brummer was equal to the task, slotting another two penalties in the 63rd and 72nd minute to go with an earlier drop goal 13 minutes after the break to ensure that there would be no first-round blushes for the title holders.

Scorers:

Griffons 17

– Try: Jan-Louis Coetzee. Penalties: Hugo Kleynhans (4)

Blue Bulls 22 – Try: Jaco Engels. Conversion: Francois Brummer. Penalties: Brummer (4). Drop goal: Brummer.