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Griquas stayed in touch with the Currie Cup pace-setters, Western Province, and turned up the heat on the chasing pack when they scored a convincing 41-27 win over the Leopards in Potchefstroom on Friday.

The five tries to thee victory not only secured Griquas a valuable bonus point, but moved them into second place on the standings, three points behind WP.

However, the chasing pack - the Sharks, Cheetahs, Blue Bulls and Lions - all play their Round Four matches on Saturday.

Captain Naas Olivier was the hero for Griquas at Olën Park, as he scored 21 points - including a try, five conversions and two penalties in a faultless kicking performance.

The Leopards, who trailed 10-24 at the break - after a commanding first half by the visitors - managed to work their way back into the game and with just over a quarter to go the Leopards were trailing by just four points (20-24).

However, Griquas showed their class and pulled clear, before a late rally gave the home team's score some respectability.

The Leopards made most of the early running and raced into a 10-0 after 12 minutes.

It was nippy Leopards scrumhalf Michael Bondesio who scored a great individual try in the eighth minute, with flyhalf Niell Jacobs kicking a conversion and a penalty.

It took the more fancied Griquas until the 25th minute before they troubled the scorers - thanks to an Olivier penalty.

However, the visitors cut loose in the last 10 minutes of the first half to run in three tries.

Left wing Bjorn Basson continued his fine try-scoring record this season to dot down in his fourth consecutive match, while lock Frikkie Spies and Olivier also crossed their opponent’s tryline as Griquas went to the break holding a 14-point advantage.

The second half began much like the first, as Bondesio grabbed his second try, before replacement flyhalf Clayton Durand kicked a penalty to draw the home side to within four points.

Any hope the hosts had of causing an upset were dashed when Griquas’ scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius intercepted a loose pass on his own 22-metre line before setting off on a long run to score the bonus-point try for the visitors.

In the last 10 minutes of the match Griquas wrapped the contest up thanks to a penalty from Olivier and Basson’s second try.

The Leopards refused to give up and deep into injury time lock Wilhelm Koch went over for a consolation try.

The scorers:

For the Leopards:
Tries: Bondesio 2, Koch
Cons: Durand 2, Jacobs
Pens: Durand, Jacobs

For Griquas:
Tries: Basson 2, Spies, Olivier, Pretorius
Cons: Olivier 5
Pens: Olivier 2

The teams:

Leopards: 15 Danie Dames, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 Jovan Bowles, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Dumisane Matyeshana, 10 Niell Jacobs, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Riaan Swanepoel, 7 Palm Koch (captain), 6 Danie Crous, 5 Edrich Linde, 4 Anthonie Gronum, 3 Barend van der Walt, 2 Gavin Williamson, 1 Divan Kotzé.
Replacements: 16 Marthinus van der Westhuizen, 17 Johan Coetzee, 18 Bradley Mockford, 19 Christo van Niekerk, 20 Theo van Wyk, 21 Clayton Durand/Cecil Dumond, 22 Mohammed Samaai.

Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Richard Lawson, 13 Wilmaure Louw, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Naas Olivier (captain), 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Wesley Wilkins, 6 Ruan Kitshoff, 5 Cecil Kemp, 4 Frikkie Spies, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Jean Botha, 18 Michael Passaportis, 19 Gerhard Human, 20 Marnus Hugo, 21 Matthew Rosslee, 22 Rocco Jansen.

Referee: Jason Jaftha
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Phillip Bosch