The Suzuki Griquas flexed their attacking firepower in front of a home crowd, running in 10 tries to crush Eastern Province 70-17 in a commanding SA Cup performance. After a relatively close first half, the hosts exploded in the second, outscoring EP 56-7 to underline their title credentials.
First Half: Griquas Start Strong but EP Hang In
The match opened with Christian Humphries (7’) giving EP the lead via a penalty after Gustav Erlank was yellow-carded early. However, the Griquas quickly bounced back:
- Dylan Sjoblom (13’) and Gurshwin Wehr (24’) dotted down, both converted by George Whitehead, to give the hosts a 14-3 lead.
- Jayden Bantom (36’) scored for EP, converted by Humphries, narrowing the gap to 14-10 at halftime.
Second Half: Griquas Run Riot
The second half was all Suzuki Griquas, starting with Tertius Kruger (42’) and Dylan Maart (44’, 50’, 79’) piling on the pressure.
Key second-half moments included:
- Whitehead adding three more conversions before being subbed off, replaced by Tylor Sefoor, who also slotted 5 conversions.
- Further tries followed from Cameron Hufke (60’), Zane Bester (65’), and a Tertius Kruger brace (73’, 77’) to complete his hat-trick.
- Sherwin Slater (70’) scored EP’s second try, converted by Humphries, but it was no more than consolation.
Yellow Cards Hamper EP’s Momentum
Eastern Province’s second-half collapse was compounded by yellow cards to Diego Williams (56′) and Stefan Willemse (59′), during which Griquas scored three tries.
Top Performers
- Tertius Kruger (Griquas) – Hat-trick hero, unstoppable in midfield.
- Dylan Maart (Griquas) – Three tries, electric in broken play.
- Tylor Sefoor & George Whitehead – Combined for 10 conversions, both directing play expertly.
- Christian Humphries (Eastern Province) – 7 points, composed under pressure despite the heavy defeat.
Final Thoughts
This was a clinical and dominant display from the Suzuki Griquas, whose depth and execution blew Eastern Province away in the second half. EP showed resilience early on, but discipline and defensive structure faltered dramatically after the break.
With this 70-17 win, Griquas have not only reinforced their attacking credentials but also shown their capacity to finish strongly and exploit weaknesses with ruthless precision.
