The EP Kings beat Griquas 40-37 in a thrilling Currie Cup match in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Both teams scored five tries, but it was the Kings who took the five log points, after captain Tim Whitehead snatched victory with a try in the last move of the game. Griquas came away with two log points.
Tries by Danie Dames and Clinton Swart coupled with a penalty saw Griquas lead 15-6, with fullback Scott van Breda succeeding with two penalty goals for the hosts.
The two pivots traded kicks again, but the try-fest continued deep into the first half. Scores by Luther Obi and Paul Schoeman for the Kings and a second by Dames for Griquas, handed the visitors a 25-21 lead at the break.
The same pattern followed in the second stanza, with the teams scoring in quick succession of each other as both sides wrestled for the ascendancy. Two tries apiece followed, but EP had the final say when Whitehead darted through to score the winning five-pointer.
EP Kings – Tries: Luther Obi, Paul Schoeman (2), Tim Whitehead (2). Conversions: Scott van Breda (3). Penalties: Van Breda (3).
Griquas – Tries: Danie Dames (2), Clinton Swart, Carel Greeff, AJ le Roux. Conversions: Swart (3). Penalties: Swart (2).
EP Kings – 15 Scott van Breda, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Tim Whitehead (c), 11 Luther Obi, 10 Karlo Aspeling, 9 Dwayne Kelly, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Cornell Hess, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Martin Ferreira, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Subs: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 Tim Agaba, 21 Enrico Acker, 22 Elgar Watts.
Griquas – 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Danie Dames, 13 Michael van der Spuy, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Ntabeni Dukisa, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Tian Meyer (c), 8 Carel Greeff, 7 Jonathan Janse van Rensburg, 6 RJ Liebenberg, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Jonathan Adendorf, 3 Kop van der Westhuizen, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts.
Subs: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Stephan Kotzé, 18 Stephan Greeff,19 Wendal Wehr, 20 Dylon Frylink, 21 Jonathan Francke, 22 Ederies Arendse.
Photo: Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images
