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Kimberley - Wing Enver Brandt scored four tries as the Tafel Lager Griquas beat Eastern Province Kings 73-41 (half-time 33-24) in their SuperSport Rugby Challenge quarter-final fixture at Tafel Lager Park, Kimberley, on Saturday.
It was a fantastic day for the home team and Brandt in particular, who was the star performer as his team scored 11 superb tries.
Eastern Province, who led at one stage in the first half, replied with six tries of their own but it was not enough to stop Griquas from claiming their berth in the semi-finals.
Griquas right wing Ederies Arendse gave an early indication of what was to come from his team when he scored the opening try in the second minute.
But EP struck back soon after that as lock Sintu Manjezi crashed over. Flyhalf Pieter-Steyn de Wet kicked the conversion and also added a penalty for the visitors to lead 10-5.
That became 12-10 when Brandt scored his first try for flyhalf George Whitehead to convert.
EP then pulled away from Griquas by scoring two converted tries by Brandon Brown and captain Lusanda Badiyana.
At 24-12 through 25 minutes the Kings were looking good but Griquas rallied with tries from hooker AJ le Roux, Brandt and fullback Eric Zana. Whitehead kicked all three conversions for Griquas to lead 33-24 at half time.
Brandt was again in the thick of the action after the break, scoring twice within 10 minutes of the restart and Whitehead was successful from the tee on both occasions.
The Kings fought back to 47-34 with scores by replacement SF Niewoudt and fullback Keanu Vers. But Griquas tightened up their defence and started to take full control as replacements Christiaan Meyer and Marius Fourie, flank Sias Koen and centre Koch Marx completed the rout with further tries.
Whitehead finished with nine conversions in the match for a personal tally of 18 points.
The Kings scored a consolation try through left wing Sonwabo Majola on the hooter which Garrick Mattheus converted.
Scorers:
Griquas – Tries: Ederies Arendse, Enver Brandt (4), AJ le Roux, Eric Zana, Christiaan Meyer, Marius Fourie, Sias Koen, Kock Marx; Conversions: George Whitehead (9).
EP – Tries: Sintu Manjezi, Brandon Brown, Lusanda Badiyana, Sonwabo Majola, Keanu Vers, SF Niewoudt; Conversions: Pieter-Steyn De Wet (3), Garrick Mattheus; Penalties: Pieter-Steyn De Wet.
