WP edge Ellis Park epic
20 Oct 2012
RYAN VREDE reports on a 21-16 victory for Western Province who shifted gears in the final quarter to down the Golden Lions in their Currie Cup semi-final.
WP lost twice to the Lions in the league phase, and appeared to be on their way out of the competition before they showed the mettle that has so often eluded them in knock-out matches. This will be an important step in their youngsters’ education, although a far greater test awaits against the Sharks in Durban next week.
The defending champions will lament poor goal kicking, but outside of a try from broken field, they never posed a serious attacking threat.
Defence dominated the first half, with the visitors faring better in the regard. The Lions didn’t test their now famously efficient system (even when Gerhard van den Heever was yellow carded in the seventh minute), refusing to earn the right to play the expansive game they wanted to.
A little more pragmatism in their play would have benefited them, but with their strike runners in the pack seeing too little of the ball and flyhalf Elton Jantjies tucked too deep in the pocket, they were always going to struggle to break down the WP wall. They compounded their problems with poor goal kicking, Jantjies missing three penalties in the first 40, while Ruan Combrink’s 55m effort came up short.
WP looked the more organsied side, playing well through the phases with their forwards. But they showed too little appreciation for the territory game and little inventiveness in the back division initially, Don Armand coming up with their best chance but being held up over the line in his attempt to score.
Demetri Catrakilis kicked both of his penalty goals, giving his side a 6-3 lead at half-time, but Jantjies levelled with a three pointer just after the restart. Then the Lions grabbed the initiative with a try that was birthed from a turnover in their 22m, Michael Rhodes running a good angle to cut through the line. Jantjies converted and the Lions looked galvanised.
The Joburg union upped the ante at the gainline and in their breakdown contesting, which in turn compromised WP’s ability to control the flow and tempo of their attacking play. There were a couple of flashes of brilliance from the Cape side’s backs, but their potency patently lay in their tight play, particularly their mauling. One such surge drove them into the Lions’ red zone, only to see yet another opportunity slip away through a combination of poor ball protection and a rabid Lions ruck assault.
WP gambled by sending on scrumhalf Louis Schreuder to replace ace goal kicker Catrakilis, no doubt hoping the youngster would inject something special into their attacking play. But the Lions were brutal in their defence and reduced their opponents to rudderless messes. With each minute that ticked by, the inexperienced WP side seemed to become more desperate and consequently more loose. This played into the Lions’ hands, as they were able to pick off their targets with relative ease.
The composure they showed under pressure, aided by the experience they were able to introduce off the bench, was impressive. But they finally succumbed, WP fullback Joe Pietersen rounding off a move in which his forwards depleted the Lions’ defensive line superbly. Crucially he missed the conversion attempt, leaving his side down by two, but he made no mistake from a penalty shortly thereafter.
One point game. Four minutes to play.
Jantjies held his nerve with a 78th-minute penalty, leaving the Lions with a desperate closing period, one they couldn’t negotiate successfully, with WP setting up a rolling maul 20m out from goal and rumbling to glory.
908 Comments
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21 Oct 2012, 10:26 am
Well done to province, you played us at our own game, now with relegation I will be back for next years Currie Cup, Good Luck to the Guppies.
21 Oct 2012, 10:26 am
@stormersboy-590: for sure
@nama1-586: thanks and likewaise Nama, WP showed some heart to take it
21 Oct 2012, 10:27 am
@Jeraldjay-593: actually is 12 going on 13
21 Oct 2012, 10:27 am
@sharks_lover-580:
Hey, what kind of supporter will I be if I don’t believe my team will win?
WP going to moer you Sharkies.
Dis nou maar net so. Niks wat jy en jou mede Shark ondersteuners daaraan kan doen nie.
WEEPEEEEEEEEEEE
21 Oct 2012, 10:27 am
@sharkslover
Yeah, swop Taute for Ludik. Much of a muchness really. We don’t really have explosive fullbacks right now
21 Oct 2012, 10:29 am
@nama1-597:
nyama nothing we wantr to do about it, we love the fact that WP win trophies in the week prior tpo the match 
21 Oct 2012, 10:33 am
@sharks_lover-596:
The balance is shifting boet.
The u/21′s are in the final.
WP is in the final.
Vodacom Cup in the cabinet.
Stormers topped the S15 log.
The next few years may yet be another golden era for supporters of the Cape base teams. Starting on Saturday, of course.
Beware.
21 Oct 2012, 10:35 am
@nama1-600: I wonder where i heard all this before????
how could i forget right in here for the last 6 years 
21 Oct 2012, 10:37 am
@sharks_lover-596:
Won the final in 2001 against the Sharks at Newlands.
But we also won the Vodacom Cup 2012 and are the Super Rugby SA Conference title WINNERS 2011 and 2012 (received trophies for winning these titles)
When you desperate you list any achievements.
21 Oct 2012, 10:37 am
Nyama , teasing you boet, WP are improving and have some seriously good talent coming through.
21 Oct 2012, 10:39 am
@Jeraldjay-602:
boet,
21 Oct 2012, 10:39 am
You never bet against the home team. Province did a Houdini act, for which we are most grateful. Playing at the fishbowl is a different kettle of fish…
21 Oct 2012, 10:41 am
Pleased for the U21′s yesterday as well. Particularly as many of the players are already playing in the senior team.
21 Oct 2012, 10:42 am
@stormersboy-606:
Really enjoyed the match. A great try in the dying minutes too…
How you doing bud?
21 Oct 2012, 10:52 am
@sharks_lover-601:
You better believe it.
Before WP won the CC in 1982, we went through a similar barren era of more than a decade afa silverware was concerned. (nly shared the CC with the BB in 1979.)
I see great similarities between the two teams.
Young front row: Kitshoff, Scarra, Malherbe vs van Aswegen, Cockrell/Povey, Hempies
Good 2nd row: Bekker, Etzebeth vs Bekker (sr), Div Visser
Loose trio: Any combo vs Louw, Stofberg, Mallet
Game breakers a plenty in the back line.
The only weakness still, is a FH who can dictate the game.
No boet, this is our time again. wink:
Loose trio:
21 Oct 2012, 11:12 am
Who were the geniuses from this hallowed blog of rugby expertise who predicted a WP vs Bulls final….
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
21 Oct 2012, 11:13 am
BOOM!
21 Oct 2012, 11:16 am
So, Keegan “Too small” Daniel was actually big enough to totally embarrass the credentials of the new No 8 flavour of the month, Arno Botha…
Arno farken Who?
I look forward to the midget competing against the “best” 8 in the country nextweek…
The Midget vs Fatfuck Vermeulen… Spicy.
21 Oct 2012, 11:17 am
@Gumboots-607: I’m good thanks, enjoyed the last minute victories on both counts, Sharks u21′s down, now just the senior team to go.
21 Oct 2012, 11:18 am
Lambie the “Fullback”…
vs
Morne the “Flyhalf”…
The joke is on someone here…
Looks like Heyneke and his Emperor got no clothes after all…
21 Oct 2012, 11:19 am
Who were the geniuses from this hallowed blog of rugby expertise who predicted a Sharks vs Lions final….
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
BOOM!!!!!
21 Oct 2012, 11:19 am
You can’t even select a team on this blog without Sharks supporters supercilious nature kicking in.How dare you select a team without Ludick at 15,Lambie at 10,Whitehead and Jordaan as centres etc etc seems to be their mantra.Sharkslover,wearing his Mormon temple garment,seems to be the main cheerleader in this regard.
21 Oct 2012, 11:24 am
@wnbb-615:
True.
Bok team according to the Shark groupies:
Ludick
JPP
Jordaan
Whitehead
Mvovo
Lambie
Hougaard
Keegan
Alberts
Coetzee
PSDT
Etzebeth
Jannie
Bissie
Beast
21 Oct 2012, 11:28 am
@wnbb-615: @nama1-616:
21 Oct 2012, 11:30 am
Funny enough,I had a very similar team,except for Pienaar(former shark) at 9.
21 Oct 2012, 11:43 am
@nama1-616: Take out Hougaard and replace him with Reinach and you got yourself a Bok team that will beat the current Bok team any day of the week…
Six farken Love…
21 Oct 2012, 11:46 am
@wnbb-618:
On the reserve bench, you’ll find:
Burden
Juandre Kruger
Deysel
Kankowski
Reinach
Bosman
Viljoen
21 Oct 2012, 11:50 am
@Heavens Game-619:
That team, without Etzebeth of course, will not even beat WP next week, my man.
WP going to moer your “BokSharks” on their home turf.
Take that to the bank.
21 Oct 2012, 12:05 pm
@nama1-620: @wnbb-618: u2 ignoramous butt pilots forget how you insult anything Sharks or KZN on a daily basis, you forget how you always press for WP players even when they farking injured or uselss, so pot kettle??
21 Oct 2012, 12:07 pm
@nama1-621: enig julle kannie eers agteroor moer ie boet.
21 Oct 2012, 12:13 pm
@nama1-621: Can I quote you, numbnuts? Take that to the bank – Capitec?
You poor traditional power supporters… while the Sharks and the rest of the rugger playing play rugby the way its supposed to be played – you fucknuts are still obsessing about structures, gameplans, 60m touchfinders and netjies rockspider rugby…
pity the fools
21 Oct 2012, 12:15 pm
@Heavens Game-624: should read rest of the rugger playing world
21 Oct 2012, 12:17 pm
Ludik put the Knickknacks is the best 15 to bed once and for all…
Sharkies are actually starting to embarrass the credentials of many current Bok incumbents now….
21 Oct 2012, 12:20 pm
Sharkies are also starting to embarrass the credentials of many “knowledgeable” rugby journo’s and their many bandwagon favourites that they punt for the Boks…
Laughable
21 Oct 2012, 12:21 pm
@Heavens Game-626: As did Jantjes yesterday, he put himself to rest
he cost the lions the match
21 Oct 2012, 12:22 pm
@Heavens Game-624:
I won’t hold it against you if you do your business there. I’m sure they give you good service.
21 Oct 2012, 12:22 pm
@nama1-616:
No way Hougie is a better scummie than Rienach.
21 Oct 2012, 12:24 pm
@Heavens Game-627: Hiyas HG,
The party was soooo good last night at the tank
21 Oct 2012, 12:26 pm
@Heavens Game-627: See what some of these numbnuts dont understand is that it is about a team and not ther individual.
They lose 1 play and for them it is the end of the world, we lose a player and the show goes on.
I mean we los\t the best Hooker in world rugby till next year and the kid in his place just keeps the show on track
21 Oct 2012, 12:28 pm
WHEN the Sharks, and NOT IF the Sharks, beat WP for what – the fifth time this season – in the final, it will truly be embarrassing for the “leading” SA side who after all have the most run-on Boks… And that is WP of course…
Farken what a larf SA Rugby is turning out to be… All the struggles, the farken 4 out of 9 International win rate, and yet its been attempted by Meyer with substandard players…
Looks like the Sharkies and their supporters were right after all WHEN the Sharks win the CC next week…
Doesn’t that GRATE those supporters of the “Traditional Powers” – WP and the Bulls…
Go Keegan’s boys – Keep showing that middle finger… Its beautiful, no, its actually poetic to see…
21 Oct 2012, 12:29 pm
@Jeraldjay-630:
HG already told me about my mistake.
21 Oct 2012, 12:29 pm
@nama1-629: Your money… your bank… obviously…
All Mickey Mouse
21 Oct 2012, 12:31 pm
@sharks_lover-631: Told you, cuzzie… I decided already that I would rather go to the final at KP than the Semi…
Will be better weather
21 Oct 2012, 12:32 pm
WP die Currie Cup kom wee!!! WP jou lekker ding! Gotta love it! Must say Lambie a fantastic 10!
21 Oct 2012, 12:34 pm
@Heavens Game-633:
Oh hell Keegs put on huge hits on the BUlls monsters, they just bounced him off and fell to the ground on their own 
21 Oct 2012, 12:35 pm
One more thing I have to laugh at… and also have to concede about some treacherous, dumbfuck Shark supporters… were those absolute idiots who reckoned Plumtree was Dumbtree and furthermore were advancing the cause of Jimmy Stonehouse as his successor….
Farkenhell… Suppose even the Sharks have dumbfuck supporters right up there with the majority dumbfuckery of the supporters of the “Traditional Powers”…
21 Oct 2012, 12:35 pm
@Heavens Game-636: well then i will be seeing you there
I already got my ticket
21 Oct 2012, 12:37 pm
@Sandytoes-637: Sandtoontjies,
there is a little stumbling block you will have to beat first before die Curriecup Kom weer 
21 Oct 2012, 12:38 pm
@Heavens Game-633:
“it will truly be embarrassing for the “leading” SA side who after all have the most run-on Boks… And that is WP of course…”
The Shark team that played against the Bulls yesterday:
15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (c), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Jandre Marais, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Beast Mtawarira, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Steven Sykes/Peet Marais, 20 Willem Alberts, 21 Charl McLeod, 22 Meyer Bosman.
I count 13 Boks in the match 22.
The WP team for yesterday’s match:
15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (c), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Damian de Allende, 22 Joe Pietersen.
I count 5 Bok players.
Nobody likes a liar.
21 Oct 2012, 12:38 pm
@Heavens Game-633: No it doesn’t. Come back when you have 32 titles.
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