In a display of rugby that could only be described as clinical demolition, the Griquas laid waste to Western Province with a 47-17 thrashing this past Friday in Kimberley. Kicking off with a relentless first quarter, the Griquas stamped their authority early and didn't let up, running in seven tries that left the visitors chasing shadows.
The onslaught began with Griquas lock Albert Liebenberg, who capped a slick team movement with a try right beneath the posts, allowing flyhalf George Whitehead to add the extras without breaking a sweat. Not long after, outside centre Zane Bester turned on the style, slicing through the defense to score, following a crafty inside pass from Whitehead, doubling the lead to 14-0.
The home side's flair was on full display, with offloads flying as they dissected the Western Province defense. However, the visitors showed a spark of life when replacement loose forward Aden da Costa made his debut memorable by scoring in the corner, with Matthee slotting the conversion.
Despite a hiccup that saw Liebenberg's second try disallowed, Griquas' scrumhalf Caleb Abrahams darted over from close range just before halftime, bringing the score to 21-7.
Upon resumption, Griquas picked up where they left off. Gurshwin Wehr capitalized on a turnover deep in Province territory to extend their lead. The visitors briefly rallied when veteran hooker Scarra Ntubeni chased down a loose ball for a try, but their hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed.
Derik Pretorius and Carl Els bulldozed over for successive tries, putting the result beyond doubt, before replacement scrumhalf Thomas Bursey sealed the deal with the final try of the match.
"We took our chances and played to our strengths,"
noted Griquas' jubilant coach after the match, clearly pleased with his team's performance.Looking ahead, the Griquas are set to host the Sharks in what promises to be a riveting Round 4 encounter, while Western Province, still searching for their first win, face a daunting challenge against Frans Steyn's Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.