Gardens through to Gold Cup quarters
Multisure Gardens were again the toast of Uitenhage as they beat East Rand United 37-32 in the Gold Cup at the Reiger Park Sports Arena in Boksburg on Saturday.
The result puts Gardens into the quarterfinals, where they will meet Northam Platinum Rhinos of Middeldrift this weekend.
Playing in Pool B last week, Gardens’ 19-14 opening-day defeat to Sasol Digi Mag Secunda was all but forgotten at a packed Derrick Ferreira Stadium when the EP champions kicked a late penalty to sink Rovers, the KwaZulu-Natal champions, who had beaten wildcards Phakisa Holdings East Rand United in round one.
And on Saturday, Gardens caused another major upset by beating East Rand away after leading 16-12 at halftime.
Gardens lost the try count 5-2 but the steady place-kicking of flyhalf Renaldo Lewis and replacement Elgin Grady pulled them through.
Tries came from lock Bakkies Dlwengu and fullback Riaan Bayman, while Lewis and Grady kicked three penalties each and Lewis a conversion.
East Rand’s points came via tries by hooker Brandon Haywood (2), prop Hannriel Coetzee, centre Waylon Thompson and right-wing Jackie Jonkers.
Cameron Rooi kicked two conversions and a penalty.
The quarterfinal draw is:
ABE Midas Naka Bulls v Hollywoodbets Swallows; College Rovers v Durbanville Bellville; Newrak Rustenburg Impala v Welkom; Northam Platinum Rhinos v Multisure Gardens Uitenhage.