The Blue Bulls started their preparation for the Currie Cup on a positive note by convincingly beating the Griffons 50-19 in a compulsory friendly in Welkom on Friday night.
The Blue Bulls were clearly intent on getting their driving maul in good working order and did that quite often with very good effect.
The younger players in the squad showed good patience in build-up play and stepped up nicely in the second half, upping the tempo very well.
Wrong options cost the Griffons, who at times attacked from deep within their own half. No.8 Nicky Steyn had some good runs, but his distribution let him down.
The Blue Bulls scored twice in the first half. The first try came after Springbok wing Akona Ndungane was worked into space with an overlap and his inside pass found Stephan Dippenaar in support.
CJ Stander scored from a tap penalty close to the line. The Blue Bulls upped the tempo in the second half and played some good rugby, dominating the Griffons and running away with the game.
Stander scored his second and Stefan Watermeyer scored shortly after that.
Veteran winger and former Bulls player, Eddie Fredericks, then showed good pace in scoring for the Griffons before Jurgen Visser and Henri Bantjés crossed the Griffons line as well.
The scorers:
For the Blue Bulls:
Tries: Dippenaar, Stander 2, Watermeyer, Visser, Bantjes
Cons: Brummer 3, Dunlop
Pens: Brummer 4
For the Griffons:
Try: Fredericks
Con: Myburgh
Pens: Myburgh 4
The teams:
Griffons: 15 Tertius Maarman, 14 Jaco Meyer, 13 Werner Griesel (captain), 12 Thabang Molefe, 11 Eddie Fredericks, 10 Jannie Myburgh, 9 Enrico Schultz, 8 Nicky Steyn, 7 Marnus Briedenhan, 6 Shaun Raubenheimer, 5 Gavin Annandale, 4 Windpomp van Rooyen, 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Andries Kruger, 1 Kevin Stevens.
Replacements: 16 Derick van Heerden, 17 Jep Ras, 18 Joubert Horn, 19 Johan van Heerden, 20 Andries Mahoney, 21 Tiaan van Wyk, 22 Japie Nel.
Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Dustin Jinka, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 CJ Stander, 6 Derick Kuün (captain), 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Fudge Mabeta, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Corné Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Henri Bantjés, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Warwick Tecklenberg, 19 Okkie Kruger, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Wesley Dunlop, 22 Francois Venter.
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
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