Try fest as South African Currie Cup kicks off
Defending champions Free State Cheetahs, Blue Bulls and Pumas triumphed this weekend as the opening round of the South African Currie Cup produced 31 tries in three matches.
Cheetahs overwhelmed Sharks 47-12 in Bloemfontein, Bulls edged Griquas 51-45 in Kimberley and Pumas defeated Golden Lions 43-36 in Nelspruit.
The Currie Cup was first staged in 1981, making it the oldest inter-provincial rugby competition in the world.
This season, for the first time, the Currie Cup began before Super Rugby ended, forcing the double-dated Sharks and Lions to field second-string sides in the domestic competition.
Facing a severely depleted Sharks outfit helped Cheetahs to a convincing bonus-point victory after leading only 17-7 at half-time.
They outscored their opponents by six tries to two with Ghana-born Springbok winger Raymond Rhule, who debuted last month against France, among the scorers.
Fly-half Niel Marais top scored for the title-holders at Free State Stadium in the central city with 15 points from three conversions and three penalties.
Cheetahs are one of two South African sides axed this month from Super Rugby, with the competition reducing from 18 teams to 15 next year.
They and fellow South African "casualties" Southern Kings are set to compete in an expanded Pro12 competition against Irish, Italian, Scottish and Welsh teams.
With the European tournament kicking off before the Currie Cup finishes in October, the Bloemfontein outfit will have to field two teams simultaneously.
That is not easy as Super Rugby semi-finalists the Lions discovered in northeastern city Nelspruit, where they conceded two late tries to have a five-point lead overturned.
Skipper Hennie Skorbinski and Gerhard Smith scored the tries that gave the Pumas victory while the Lions had the consolation of pocketing two bonus points.
Bulls, who lost the 2016 Currie Cup final to the Cheetahs, pipped Griquas thanks to a late Travis Ismaiel score in a 12-try fest.
Enver Brand and Jonathan Janse van Rensburg scored to give the hosts a 45-44 lead with 10 minutes left before Super Rugby winger Ismaiel struck and Joshua Stander converted.
Western Province, who boast the most Currie Cup titles, were grateful for a bye as the Cape Town outfit were also involved in the Super Rugby quarter-finals.