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, 14:24 pm
@sharks_lover-740: Sorry never saw that post. I might go. Have to look at the weather. Actually all my mates are going (they all have season tickets) so will see if there is a good seat. I don’t have season tickets so every time I go it is in the East Stand on the really kak seats high up. Will see tomorrow what seats are available and let you know.
21 Oct 2012, 14:24 pm
@sharks_lover-739: Unlike Transie who can back to the 1900′s,i only need to go back to post 710.
@nama1-705: well atleast we dream of erecting a statue of a start Sharks player, you guys dream of the star players erection, big diffs
21 Oct 2012, 14:25 pm
@sharks_lover-735: Lol… was talking current Sharks…
Fark, its unfair if we got to include the new boys such as Franco or the Old Boys coming back to Black and White such as true Shark legend lost in the Rooibont wilds of Transvaal for a little while – Butchie
21 Oct 2012, 14:25 pm
you sharkies keep this up and i’m gonna start shouting:
prrooooooooovviinnnnncccceeee!!!!!!!
21 Oct 2012, 14:27 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-742:
21 Oct 2012, 14:30 pm
@wnbb-741: I didnt start anything Cnutplug, if you recall I have asked you on many occasions to scroll by, i have no desire to talk to you in anyway, Ionly always see you making stupid juvenile little comments about me or my team,
So please run along, scroll by or in good english FO.
maybe one day when you grow up and try talking rugby?? i might review my opinion of you.
21 Oct 2012, 14:30 pm
Its funny that the current RUN ON (Emphasis for the strugglers such as Nama) Bok backline doe not include a single player from the Province with the undoubted best backline in the country…
Apparently none of Ludik, JPP, Jordaan, Whitehead, Mvovo, Lambie, Reinach are actually good enough to displace those current exciting attacking luminaries in the Green and Gold…
This apparently is what the supporters and coaches of “traditional Powers” of SA call a Bok backline…
The rest of the rugby playing world, including the Sharks would call it a shoot yourself in the foot joke…
What a farken laugh
21 Oct 2012, 14:31 pm
@Heavens Game-746:
HG
21 Oct 2012, 14:33 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-747: Come on Bakkies. A week before a final there will always be banter between the supporters of the two teams contesting in the final.
Banter and good sense of humour is a MUST this week. Total nastiness, all the vitirol stuff should be put aside this week. Bring on the banter and sense of humour for sure. So get used it brother, us Sharkies and Province boykies will banter the whole of this week….
21 Oct 2012, 14:34 pm
@Heavens Game-750: NO NO NO HG you should know by now that there is no backline as good as the WP/Stormers backline, noone scores as many tries as them LOL
I mean according to them every try the Sharks score is a soft try,
21 Oct 2012, 14:35 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-742: Coochie coo, Blue Balls…
You guys were lucky that Lawrence didn’t send off your farken dumfuck thug of a prop for the trip on Lambie… as well as Kruger for the knee to a Sharks face in a ruck…
Bulls got their just deserts and were actually lucky not to have been beaten by more than 17 in the rain nogal…
I reckon if the weather was dry, the superior Sharks would have farked your dear “winning” Bulls with a cabinet “full” of trophies by 40 points plus…
Bulls playing dumfuck Bok rugby got farken dominated by the souties playing Plum Sharks rugby….
Schweet
21 Oct 2012, 14:35 pm
I sense a poppa blow-out from sharkslover.As i said before,the oke can dish it out ,but he sure as hell can’t take it.As Pedigree said,the internet doesn’t tell porkies.Once it’s out there it gets recorded as evidence .You need to learn that simple fact in life Ty
21 Oct 2012, 14:36 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-747: PLease showut for the WP bakkies we are used to the team you supprt losing
21 Oct 2012, 14:38 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-742: That famous ‘bluff’ they want to pass off as Sandton??
21 Oct 2012, 14:39 pm
@Puma-752: I get my tickets through the Sharks supprters club in PTA, like Saturday i was on the main stand, not bad seating at all, and if it rained?? no problem
if you do need can always get through tme for you
21 Oct 2012, 14:39 pm
@Heavens Game-746:
21 Oct 2012, 14:39 pm
@sharks_lover-753: Ja, its starting to get embarrassing for the supporters of the “traditional powers” WP and Bulls that players from the Johnny come Latelys are not good enough to make the Bok run on side yet farken absolutely obliterate those same “superior” Bok players from the Traditional Powers head to head all season long….
Their world is falling apart… The lies and fantasies are being exposed
Shame
21 Oct 2012, 14:40 pm
When the oke starts to make obvious spelling mistakes,then you surely know he is on the bottle again.You need ,i guess,be constantly drunk to be a Sharks supporter.
21 Oct 2012, 14:41 pm
@sharks_lover-758: Everytime I go get tickets the only ones left are in the East Stand and very high up. You know my kak knees too….
Also you get soaked there…lol. Will let you know. Mate said he might be able to get me better tickets. Knows someone there. Then again that is always said and I land up in the East Stand…. 
So will see tomorrow.
21 Oct 2012, 14:41 pm
@Heavens Game-760:
Thats why Poodlefekker keeps mentioning my name for attention, but not surprised he keeps trying to save face, but having been benned 100 times he shows his usual deseased self,
21 Oct 2012, 14:43 pm
@Puma-759: Pooms, you must be as chuffed as all hell with your boy giving all the so called FH kenners – supporters, journos, pundits and coaches alike – a huge up yours yesterday…. Especially against Morne the man…
Farken embarrassing for a mere “Fullback” to totally outplay a “Flyhalf” in the wet like that…
21 Oct 2012, 14:43 pm
@Puma-762: Like i said, lemme know, you have my email>? and phone no.
21 Oct 2012, 14:45 pm
@Puma-752:
naaice
@Heavens Game-754:
huh? mellet was sent off and the knee was accidental, nothing in it.
but you’re right, we were lucky lawrence didn’t even more to give you guys the game… lke changing the rules of rugby sommer on the fly…?..
@sharks_lover-756:
fok! did i say province..?..
go shaaaarrrkkkkssss!!!
21 Oct 2012, 14:46 pm
@Heavens Game-764:
Good one bud…hehe. Yip Lambie showed em up for sure. Two weeks in a row now.
Now have to start to punt for Ludik to get the fullback jersey he deserves…..lol. No laughing matter really, Ludik has been our best fullback since the last part of Super Rugby.
21 Oct 2012, 14:46 pm
@Heavens Game-764: SAme for you HG; you are in PTA right??
Lemme know and i’ll give you to contact details of the chairman of the Sharks supporters club in PTA, he gets guarenteed 100 Tickets by the Sharks union, so they normall have a group booking.
21 Oct 2012, 14:47 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-766:
P Bakkies
21 Oct 2012, 14:47 pm
@wnbb-757:
hehe
i still wanna get out of here in one piecs.
21 Oct 2012, 14:48 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-766: Bakkies?? you see that BB supporter clown named Phil72 has dissapeared??
21 Oct 2012, 14:50 pm
ok cheers for now
will check back later
geniet dit sharks en wp ondersteuners
you got lucky :lol;
21 Oct 2012, 14:50 pm
:lol; ? =
21 Oct 2012, 14:52 pm
@sharks_lover-771:
ja, ek dink hy’s in n kroeg iewers met RL
21 Oct 2012, 14:53 pm
@sharks_lover-765: Ok will do.
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-766:
21 Oct 2012, 14:58 pm
Rain absolutely pouring down. Thunderstorm kinda weather now. Really pleased we never had this amount of rain yesterday for the game.
21 Oct 2012, 15:06 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-774:
21 Oct 2012, 15:10 pm
Proper Shark frenzy on this thread.
Puma, Sharks_Lover and HG all sampling their own farts and complimenting each other…
You guys reckon the stands will be half full come the final?
21 Oct 2012, 15:11 pm
@Puma-767: Yeah, Ludik has lifted more than a few notches… Only thing he cant do is punt the ball 70m + which will no doubt count against him despite him being better than any 15 in other factors such as:
- positioning
- joining the line
- safe under high ball
- no better tackler in SA at 15
21 Oct 2012, 15:14 pm
@sharks_lover-768: Thanks SL, appreciate the thoughts, but will be going to a Box…
Looking forward to it … However hopefully work doesn’t get in the way….
21 Oct 2012, 15:17 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-766: Only a yellow… It was never accidental… Fark, he thought he was Chuck Norris there… A definite red… Filthy Bully who got his comeuppance nevertheless…
21 Oct 2012, 15:22 pm
@Bagel-778: Short answer… Yes… Of course… Even not including the patrons boozing in the many bars in the stands… Like the Tighthead, Loosehead, left wing, right wing and Duikers pubs…
There’s probably more pubs in KP than there are pubs in Pretoria… Keeps the fans busy so they sometimes not in their seats… Honest
You see, the souties in Durbs can behave themselves with a good few beers under their belts – unlike the Danville Specials at Loftus or the Caped Crusaders at Newlands… They cant hold their booze
21 Oct 2012, 15:24 pm
Wasnt it embarrassing for the vaunted Bulls scrum to get absolutely shunted with those two souties at the coalface – Chadwick and Cooper… Before Beast came on and did a final mercy killing…
21 Oct 2012, 15:28 pm
@Bagel-778: Absolutely, guaranteed half full….
Seriously it will be full, well almost full. Normally the east stand to each side on the top seats hardly gets full. Awful seats no one wants. Otherwise it will be about full.
21 Oct 2012, 15:28 pm
@Heavens Game-782: I’m as soutie as they come and I can tell you as a UCT student all your young Natal souties are down here luuuuurving it. No chance of them going back home, Cape Town is in a league of its own. A
lthough I’ll admit they still support the Guppies in Rugby… Baby steps.
My uncle claimed that Newlands can’t sell booze because (in his own words) “the combination of drunk Dutchies and drunk Capies would result in chaos”.
21 Oct 2012, 15:30 pm
@Bagel-778: All the pubs will be full, there I can guarantee you… fullhouse…hehe.
21 Oct 2012, 15:32 pm
@Heavens Game-779: Still can kick well. For me still is the best fb in the country right now. Hope Meyer can see that. Lambie should be chosen as fh this time too.
I can tell you though, whether Morne played kak nor not on Saturday he will be selected as fh. So will Zane be selected as fb. So no use us going on here. Just pleased they play in their positions at the Sharks. For now that what counts. Also us playing our own game style.
21 Oct 2012, 15:38 pm
Okay out of here now.
Before I go, need to say this.
Cobus Reinach will be the Bok scrummie come world cup. Make a note of that everyone. I am that sure of this youngster. Another brilliant talent that has come out of the Sharks Academy….
It will be Ruan for this eoyt at scrummie but Cobus will get that jersey eventually in a years time.
Cheers out of here now.
21 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
@Bagel-785: UCT… Now thats a farken overrated Uni if ever there was one… Seems like all the parents of the them Sharkies that have been sent there have been bamboozled by the Cape propaganda bullshitt and are truly as tunnel visioned and myopic as the average Capie…
UCT… pffft….
Next you’ll be telling me its “one of the best in the world”….
BWAAAAAAAHAAAAAHHHAAAHHAAAAA
21 Oct 2012, 16:30 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-717:
Put Pine in charge, Ludeke is overrated.
21 Oct 2012, 16:37 pm
i just loved mornes swinging arm to ludicks head.
not because it was in any way good for a sharks star, but because it was mornes admission that he is nowhere, outkicked tactically and at goal by a 22 yr old kid.
the country saw it.
morne knows it.
meyer is still wiping the poo from his face.
lurvely.
21 Oct 2012, 17:20 pm
@rangerman-791:
21 Oct 2012, 17:26 pm
@PissAnt-790:
yip
its been touted that ludeke would get heyneke’s DOR postition and the head coaches for blue bulls cc and super rugby teams could/would change.
i would support this but still contract one or two outside consultants like heyneke did, to help with that top two inches type stuff.
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