Vodacom Cup
Bulls v Pampas XV in final
2011-05-07 16:32
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Stefan Watermeyer (Gallo)
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Johannesburg - The defending champion Blue Bulls will meet Argentina’s Pampas XV in the Vodacom Cup final after a hard-fought 47-34 (halftime 31-10) win over Griquas at GWK Park in Kimberley on Saturday.
The unbeaten Pampas XV, who defeated the Sharks XV 41-26 in Friday’s first semifinal, beat the Bulls 27-22 in Potchefstroom in March during the round-robin phase.
The Bulls were actually outscored by five tries to four, but they had flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff to thank for the win after he kicked 27 points in a match that saw them rack up a 21-point halftime lead, only to allow the hosts to stage a ferocious fightback after the break.
First-half tries to wing Sampie Mastriet on the half hour, centre Stefan Watermeyer in the 36th minute and lock Juandré Kruger on the stroke of halftime looked to have broken the spirit of a competitive Griquas outfit.
But the Bulls might just have been guilty of taking their foot off the gas as the second half began, with Griquas flyhalf Earl Rose scoring the first of three quick tries, in the 55th minute, that gave his team a glimmer of hope.
Rose’s nippy scrumhalf partner Jandre Blom darted through on the hour and lock Hendrik Roodt barged over six minutes later to bring Griquas to within eight points of the Bulls.
But Boshoff’s metronomic boot continued to keep the home side at arm’s length just when it looked as if they would eat up the deficit.
The deciding score came in the 70th minute when replacement CJ Stander went over for the Bulls’ fourth try, converted by Boshoff to give them a 15-point lead and make Griquas have to score three times.
Centre Wilmaure Louw Louw made it 44-34 when he went over in the corner for Griquas’ fifth try with five minutes left, but that man Boshoff nailed a sixth penalty in the dying moments to firmly shut the door.
Scorers:
Griquas 34 – Tries : Rocco Jansen, Earl Rose, Jandre Blom, Hendrik Roodt, Wilmaure Louw. Conversions: Rudi Vogt (3).
Penalty: Vogt.
Blue Bulls 47 – Tries : Sampie Mastriet, Stefan Watermeyer, Juandre Kruger, CJ Stander. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (3).
Penalties: Boshoff (6). Drop goal: Boshoff.