Griquas 7

Emerging Ireland 54

Morgan Piek reports from South Africa

FLANKER SCOTT PENNY scored two tries for Emerging Ireland in Bloemfontein, South Africa, as they convincingly beat the Griquas 54-7 at the Toyota Stadium in their first match on tour. Munster out-half Jack Crowley impressively steered the Irish performance.

Simon Easterby’s side scored eight tries as they routed the Currie Cup runners-up in the match which forms part of the Toyota Challenge.

The two teams were weighing each other up in the opening exchanges, but that in itself didn’t last long before the visitors opened the scoring. The deadlock was broken in the 13th minute of the game when Leinster man Penny crossed the whitewash for the first of his two tries. Crowley made no mistake in adding the extra two points.

Ulster winger Robert Baloucoune scored the second try for the visitors when they caught the Griquas defence napping out wide.

The Griquas captain, Niel Otto, managed to get the Peacock Blues on the scoreboard in the 32nd minute by scoring under the posts following a period of sustained pressure. The new flyhalf, Eddie Fouché, scored his first points in a Griquas jersey by slotting the conversion. The joy was short-lived from the Northern Cape as Penny went over for his brace just minutes later.

On the stroke of half time, Munster loosehead prop Josh Wycherley crashed over for Emerging Ireland to take a comfortable 28-7 lead into the break.

Ulster centre Stewart Moore got the scoreboard rolling in the second stanza after collecting a good offload by Baloucoune to go over in the corner. The fullback, Shane Daly, was the next in on the action after collecting a neat grubber from a massive scrum. A mere minute later he could have had a brace, however, the TMO ruled that Daly knocked the ball on over the Griquas tryline.

Ulster back row David McCann made up for his yellow card in the first half by scoring the seventh try by the Irish, but this time the conversion was missed. The superb afternoon for the Irish team was rounded off by Calvin Nash on the stroke of full time for their eighth try of the game.

The Emerging Ireland team will be happy with their performance in the Free State, while they would feel that there will be some work-ons before they tackle the defending Currie Cup champions the Pumas on Wednesday.

Scorers for Griquas:

Tries: Niel Otto (32nd),

Conversions: Eddie Fouché [1/1]

Scorers for Emerging Ireland:

Tries: Scott Penny (13th, 36th), Robert Baloucoune (24th), Josh Wycherley (40th), Stewart Moore (53rd), Shane Daly (61st), David McCann (68th), Calvin Nash (79th)

Conversions: Jack Crowley [6/6], Jake Flannery [1/2]

Card: David McCann (yellow card, 28th)

GRIQUAS: 15 Malcolm Jaer, 14 Raegan Oranje, 13 Jay-Cee Nel, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Eddie Fouché, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Janco Venter, 7 Werner Gouws, 6 Niel Otto, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Johan Retief, 3 Justin Forwood, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Kudzwai Dube.

Replacements: 16 Janco Uys, 17 Melusi Mthabela, 18 Janu Botha, 19 Godfrey Muzanargwo, 20 Michael Amiras, 21 Johan Mulder, 22 George Whitehead, 23 Ashlon Davids, 24 Francois Staples, 25 Thabo Ndimande, 26 Vaughen Isaacs.

EMERGING IRELAND: 15 Shane Daly, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Jamie Osborne, 12 Stewart Moore, 11 Robert Baloucoune, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 Max Deegan, 7 Scott Penny, 6 David McCann, 5 Tom Ahern, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Tom Stewart, 1 Josh Wycherley.

Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Michael Milne, 18 Roman Salanoa, 19 Brian Deeny, 20 John Hodnett, 21 Michael McDonald, 22 Jake Flannery, 23 Antoine Frisch.