‘Dancing shoes’ Spekman dazzles for Cheetahs
Gildart lifts Wigan to Challenge Cup final
JOHANNESBURG, July 30, (Agferncies): Superb tries by Rosco Spekman and Makazole Mapimpi helped South African Currie Cup title-holders Free State Cheetahs to a 30-17 home victory over Western Province Sunday.
Winger Spekman gathered in his half a long clearing kick from Province flyhalf Kurt Coleman, burst past several defenders and outsprinted others to dot down.
The third-minute score gave the home team a lead at sun-drenched Free State Stadium in central city Bloemfontein that they never surrendered.
Fellow winger Mapimpi struck 12 minutes after half-time to stretch a 1810 half-time advantage to 20 points after skipper and centre Francois Venter also scored in the second half.
Mapimpi held off a tackle by Province winger and World Rugby Sevens star Seabelo Senatla to score a second before being bundled into touch.
While Cheetahs outscored Province by four tries to two and gained a second successive bonus-point victory, Venter was equally impressed by brave defending.
Province skipper and lock Chris van Zyl said: “It was a very disappointing performance from us with too many unforced errors, but our problems are fixable.”
Cheetahs are the only team with a maximum 10 points after two rounds, giving them a three-point advantage over Golden Lions.
Lions bounced back from a loss at Pumas last weekend to edge Griquas 48-43 after a thriller at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg.
Following 13 tries, it was a lastminute penalty from fly-half Shaun Reynolds that sealed success for the 2015 champions, who led 33-24 at half-time.
Griquas from northern Cape city Kimberley have scored 88 points in two matches -- including 11 tries -- but lost both to lie second last above Province. Sharks recovered from a first-round mauling by the Cheetahs to outplay Pumas in the second half for a 29-0 victory at Kings Park stadium in Indian Ocean port city Durban.
The second try was the pick of the four that brought a bonus point with centre Jeremy Ward and full-back Garth April involved before winger Sibusiso Nkosi raced clear.
Pretoria-based Blue Bulls, the second most successful Currie Cup title winners after Western Province, had a bye.
In Warrington, Oliver Gildart’s try double and a man-of-the-match performance from Sam Tomkins proved the difference as Wigan beat Salford 27-14 on Sunday to reach the 2017 Challenge Cup final.
Wigan -19-times Challenge Cup winners o -have not been to Wembley in four years but a powerful second-half display did the damage after a topsy-turvy opening period against their local rivals.
They will now play holders Hull in next month’s final.
Early Gildart and Willie Isa tries opened up a 12-0 lead for the defending Super League champions at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington, northwest England.In Sydne Melbourne, marked captain Cameron Smith’s 350th match in Australia’s National Rugby League with a 40-6 win over Manly that kept them atop the table after the weekend’s 21st round.
Smith joined Terry Lamb in second place on the all-time list of most NRL appearances and is in line to overtake Darren Lockyer’s record of 355 matches by the end of the current season.
He took a starring role in Sunday’s match that pushed Melbourne two points clear at the top of the table, leading the Storm’s tackle count and providing assists in four of their seven tries.
Earlier, the Roosters rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat North Queensland 22-16 and to return to second place.
Latrell Mitchell scored and converted a try after only three minutes to give the Roosters an early lead. But North Queensland surged ahead with tries to Kane Linnett, Kyle Feldt and Coen Hess to lead 16-6 at halftime.
Winger Daniel Tupou helped the Roosters bridge the gap with a try in the 44th minute and they drew level when Siua Taukeiaho added the conversion of his own try after 57 minutes.
Luke Keary scored the go-ahead try