Bloemfontein - The Free State XV will host a quarter-final next weekend after finishing second in the South Section of the Vodacom Cup.
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They thumped the newcomers to the competition, the Tusker Simba XV, 77-10 on Saturday to earn a home quarter-final for the first time since 2008.
The host scored 13 tries in all and would be happy with the fact that the only conceded one.
With Western Province losing on Friday against the odds to the Eagles, the Free State team only had to win by 12 points or with a bonus point to secure the second place in the South Section and with that a home quarter-final.
Having scored the bonus point in the 13th minute they only had to secure the win from there.
The half-time score was 41-3.
The Cheetahs, who have stuck with the same players throughout the competition, failed to reach the final 8 stage the previous two years.
The Simbas was always on the back foot with the home side dominant in the scrums. When the Cheetahs, who only had one player with Super Rugby experience in their team, got their rolling mall going they were almost unstoppable. Flank Zingisa April scored three times from a dominant driving mall.
It was disappointing to see the Kenyan team deciding to kick for goal when they already trailed 22-0 and again when 27-3 behind.
For the Kenyans this is the end of the road in their first season of Vodacom Cup rugby after replacing the Pampas from Argentina. They Africans only managed one win over the EP Kings.
SCORERS:
Free State XV
Tries: Zingisa April (4), Tienie Burger, Maphuta Dolo, Joubert Engelbrecht, Peet Coetzee (2), Nico Lee (2), Renier Botha, Henco Greyling
Conversions: Pieter-Steyn de Wet (5), Sino Ganto.
Tusker Simba XV
Try: Moses Amusala
Conversion: Eden Kochieng
Penalty: Kenny Abdola