De Waal leaves his mark

Cheetahs fly-half Willem de Waal finished the 2005 Currie Cup season as the tournament's top points scorer.

De Waal amassed a total of 120 points, coming from a try, 17 conversions, and 27 penalties. He scored 19 points from five penalties and two conversions in the Cheetahs' 2925 Currie Cup Final victory over the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend.

His Blue Bulls opposite number Morne Steyn, who began Saturday's final with three points more than de Waal, managed only 14 points in the Final - four penalties and a conversion to finish second on 118 points. The pair was well ahead of the third-placed player, Justin Peach of the Boland Cavaliers who finished with 87 points.

Western Province fly-half Peter Grant was fourth with 79 points and the Leopards' Naas Olivier fifth with 71 points.

The tournament's leading try-scorer was Rayno Benjamin of the Boland Cavaliers with a total of eight tries. Zhahier Ryland of Western Province was second on seven, whilst three players finished with six tries apiece, Akona Ndungane and Pedrie Wannenburg of the Blue Bulls and Ronnie Cooke of the Leopards.

Leading try scorers - final standings:

Premier Division:
8 - Rayno Benjamin (Boland Cavaliers)
7 - Zhahier Ryland (Western Province)
6 - Ronnie Cooke (Leopards), Akona Ndungane (Blue Bulls), Pedrie Wannenburg (Blue Bulls)
5 - Jean de Villiers (Western Province), Wayne Julies (Lions), Jongikhaya Nokwe (Boland Cavaliers), Lukhanyo Nontshinga (Cheetahs)
4 - Vuyani Dlomo (Griquas), Wylie Human (Lions), Henno Mentz (Sharks), Jorrie Muller (Lions), Wynand Olivier (Blue Bulls), JP Pietersen (Sharks), Johan Roets (Blue Bulls), Andries van Rensburg (Leopards)
3 - Marius Delport (Blue Bulls), Fourie du Preez (Blue Bulls), Bevin Fortuin (Cheetahs), Eddie Fredericks (Cheetahs), Adrian Jacobs (Sharks), Conrad Jantjes (Lions), John Mametsa (Blue Bulls), MJ Mentz (Griquas), Waylon Murray (Sharks), JP Nel (Blue Bulls), Naas Olivier (Leopards), Justin Peach (Boland Cavaliers), Danie Rossouw (Blue Bulls), Egon Seconds (Western Province), Francois Viljoen (Griquas)