The defending champions scored seven tries in their commanding victory.
Griquas secured top spot on the Currie Cup log, and ended Boland’s semi-final hopes, with a convincing win in Wellington on Sunday.
The defending champions, who scored seven tries in their 48-17 victory, will host the fourth-placed Lions in Kimberley in next weekend’s semi-finals, with the second-placed Cheetahs welcoming the third-placed Pumas to Bloemfontein.
Boland flyhalf Ashlon Davids opened the scoring with an early penalty, before flank Marco de Witt barged over for a try in his 50th appearance for Griquas. Liam Koen, starting at 10 ahead of George Whitehead, added the extras.
Five minutes later, winger Dylan Maart dived over in the right corner to make it 12-3.
Both sides then copped yellow cards, Boland hooker Joshua Eras after repeated team infringements and Griquas loosehead prop Leon Lyons for a head-on-head collision.
The Cavaliers hit back while it was 14 on 14 when flank Sibusiso Sangweni scored a converted try, and added another after both sides had been restored to 15, through winger Jaydon Bantom, to take a 15-12 lead.
But Griquas hit back just before the break, hooker Tiaan Lange going over from a lineout maul. Koen’s conversion put the visitors back in front, 19-17.
Griquas took charge of the match early in the second half, with converted tries to No 8 Carl Els, from the back of a powerful scrum, and fullback Stefan Coetzee making it 33-17.
Things went from bad to worse for Boland when centre Jurick Lewis was yellow-carded for a high hit and Griquas flank Lourens Oosthuizen scored while he was off.
Midfielder Lunathi Nxele’s yellow card – upgraded to red upon review – for a dangerous tackle saw the Cavaliers finish the match with 14 men, and a try to Griquas wing Gurswin Wehr completed the rout.
BOLAND CAVALIERS – Tries: Sibusiso Sangweni, Jaydon Bantom. Conversions: Ashlon Davids (2). Penalty: Davids.
GRIQUAS – Tries: Marco de Witt, Dylan Maart, Tiaan Lange, Carl Els, Stefan Coetzee, Lourens Oosthuizen, Gurswin Wehr. Conversions: Liam Koen (5). Penalty: George Whitehead.
**This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission. **
