Potent Province power to glory
27 Oct 2012
GARETH DUNCAN watched Western Province break their 11-year Currie Cup drought with a famous 25-18 final win over the Sharks at Kings Park.
Everyone loves an underdog story. And this match was one of the greats in South African domestic rugby.
The pre-match odds laid heavily in the Sharks’ favour. They had home-ground advantage, the strongest pack of the competition and the best team on paper, one loaded with Springboks. The Sharks had the confidence of beating the Stormers and WP four out of five fixtures earlier in the season, and they never lost to a South African team in Durban all year. The stats also proved they were the best attacking and defensive side of the Currie Cup.
However, what stats can’t measure is heart, mettle and determination. And WP, who were missing the likes of Jean de Villiers, Andries Bekker, Tiaan Liebenberg, Siya Kolisi and Schalk Burger, had bucket loads of this on the day.
The Sharks started off strongly and created several try-scoring opportunities, but they unraveled against a gritty WP outfit that failed to tire. The men from the Cape might have come off second best at the collisions and scrums for most parts of the match, but their breakdown assault, superior lineout efficiency and accurate tactical kicking game was crucial in their surprising triumph.
Man of the Match Deon Fourie was a star at openside flank, while Eben Etzebeth, Juan de Jongh and Demetri Catrakilis also deserve special mentions for their individual contributions in a top team performance.
But it took a while for the visitors’ ascendancy to emerge.
The opening quarter was dominated by the Sharks, who exposed the usually resilient Province defence on several occasions. Conversely, the hosts’ guard was resolute.
If it wasn’t for a sensational cover tackle from Bryan Habana, which denied opposite number JP Pietersen a clear run to the whitewash in the seventh minute, the Sharks would’ve held a comfortable lead.
However, Habana’s moment of defensive brilliance came with a sacrifice. The Springbok speedster struggled to gather to his feet after that hit and was taken off the field moments later because of a knee injury. Big blow for Province, and to those who were hoping to see more from the face-off between the two in-form wings.
While the Sharks were denied try opportunities, flyhalf Pat Lambie punished most of the penalties the visitors conceded. The 22-year-old found the target on four occasions to give the Sharks a 12-3 lead by the half-hour mark. Catrakilis nailed one three-pointer during this period.
Then came the unexpected Province fightback.
The biggest damage was done by Juan de Jongh, who executed a telling break shortly after Joe Pietersen’s 32nd-minute penalty.
From a scrum in centre field, the outside centre ran a perfect angle off Catrakilis to expose a gap in the Sharks’ defensive line. His explosiveness saw him beat three defenders in Keegan Daniel, Marcell Coetzee and Lwazi Mvovo on his way to the chalk. Catrakilis converted.
The pivot also added his second penalty on the stroke of half-time, which saw WP lead 16-12 at the break.
The Sharks regained the ascendancy in the second stanza and jumped back into the lead thanks to Lambie’s fifth and sixth penalties.
But Catrakilis landed three vital shots at goal thereafter. First a penalty to regain the lead, which was their only reward after applying relentless pressure on attack against a solid Sharks defence in the opposition’s red zone. Then he nailed two drop goals to add to the buffer. The second drop goal was an important score as it forced the hosts to search for a converted try in order to level the scores.
The Sharks created late drama as Louis Ludik broke down the sideline during the closing stages, with Charl McLeod on his outside. He only had Pietersen to beat, but he passed the ball too early and the defender guessed right to tackle McLeod. The reserve scrumhalf then tried to offload to Lambie, but he lost the ball in contact.
The Sharks also won possession after the final hooter, but again, they lost the ball in contact – this time 10m from the tryline.
Province held on to complete an excellent victory. What an amazing underdog story.
1,055 Comments
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27 Oct 2012, 20:57 pm
@assagai-577: I agree with everything you said except (now with hindsight, before the game I would have agreed with you) the first sentence of your last paragraph.
What I will say is that Shreuder should concentrate on being a flyhalf.
27 Oct 2012, 20:57 pm
No man.
Ig.
27 Oct 2012, 20:57 pm
@Dawn-598:
It is the Second Coming…
27 Oct 2012, 20:57 pm
Now after all this.
Let me give a heartfelt congratulations to the WP team, their coaching staff and all their patient supporters for this victory tonight.
GROOM be the man.
Etzebeth be the main man.
Allister Toetie Coetzee. YOU are the man.
Thanks WP.
27 Oct 2012, 20:58 pm
I will never, ever, forget Catrakilis’s cool-as-ice, left-footed, flat-trajectory punt of a drop goal…
27 Oct 2012, 20:59 pm
Juan was immense! Not just the try BUT on defense as well!! Etzebeth wow- Legend! And he is only 20 years old! Scarra played very well and Fourie has no equal. Province jou lekke ding!!
27 Oct 2012, 20:59 pm
Now babes repeat after me.
Not “forking”, “******”!!!
27 Oct 2012, 21:00 pm
I imagine Heyneke is scratching his head a bit tonight…
27 Oct 2012, 21:00 pm
Fo k k e n!!!
27 Oct 2012, 21:01 pm
After waiting for 11 years to win the CC i suppose the law of averages had to kick in sometime for wp.Hard luck sharkies on the day you were not good enough.
27 Oct 2012, 21:02 pm
@nama1-596: It was touch and go for far too long.. thankfully it came good in the end and Catrakillis fed off the energy and fight from his leaders and his warriors ahead of him and stuck his head up and played for a win in the end.. he almost handed this game to Sharks from outset … but had Schreuder and Groom started.. Sharks would have been out of contention in the first 20 minutes already we would have turned at half time 3 tries up…
WP had the beating of this Sharks team all ends up. I knew that without much doubt.. only doubt I had was Catrakillis I was afraid he would fold which he was doing till Fourie, De Jongh and Etsebeth showed him how to stand up and stand tall and pull his head out and go for gold… which thankfully he learned how and did in the end.
27 Oct 2012, 21:04 pm
@Dawn-602: I know all about who is God to you on keo.. that why I said god has materialized on Keo tonight.. you really think I’m all that dumb?
27 Oct 2012, 21:05 pm
@Dawn-602: Auto-correct and beer did me in
WP you lekka farking ding
Greetings and salutations.
Farking smilies indeed
27 Oct 2012, 21:05 pm
And now he gone.
27 Oct 2012, 21:06 pm
@Gumboots-569: A good wiinerr
ur
27 Oct 2012, 21:07 pm
Jinne
My night is made
Please come to drinks!
27 Oct 2012, 21:08 pm
Skop no brawling with me pls!
I’m happy!
27 Oct 2012, 21:09 pm
@mikeybrass-601: Yes no question about it.. Groom is by far the superior scrum half and Groom showed tonight he is ten thousand light years ahead of the new Guppyuppie wonderboy Reinach.. and Schreuder should stick at 10.. I say again with conviction had Schreuder started tonight at 10 Sharks would not have been in this game.. WP would have nailed them from the get go and we would have rounded some of those plays in first quarter and scored some tries.. and Lambie would not have had easy kicks at goal from poor defensive kicking and passing from WP no. 10 which gave Sharks turnaround momentum for the first 60 minutes.
27 Oct 2012, 21:10 pm
@WP-Forever-565:
Back under your 1st nic.
WE did it.
Enjoy the victory. I am.
27 Oct 2012, 21:11 pm
In fact I’m doing a gangnam dance
27 Oct 2012, 21:12 pm
WP wanted it more. It was clear to see. The beginning of a legacy. Taute will be awesome with us. We don’t need “hard to get” Jantjies.
27 Oct 2012, 21:13 pm
How great was that try by Juan though hey , and the celebration was almost as kwaai !! Hopa !!! LOL
27 Oct 2012, 21:13 pm
bl**dy hell WP what is all this mass histeria about? You come across as if you won the world cup all by yourself. Pedigree is a much nicer individual when his team is losing. That said well done to WP for finally popping that cherry that regrown back to a rhinoceros thicness over your years in rugby hell. Province looked hungrier and more motivated througout the match. Jaco Peyper had a shocker and I say this even though I were supporting the Sharks for today.Province should have won much further if it was not for him.That said Wp will allways have the most arrogant and histerical supporters in all the world bar a handfull of truly wise and eceptional rugby bloggers.
27 Oct 2012, 21:13 pm
@Dawn-617: 7th heaven kinda happy… don’t take much to make you happy.. A WP win and a hello from God and you happy as a girl who just found heaven
27 Oct 2012, 21:14 pm
@assagai-618: Groom and Reinach are both great prospects. Reinach’s speed is great. Groom’s control at the base is outstanding.
27 Oct 2012, 21:15 pm
@jet jungle-623: To be fair that was basically almost our second team that played and with more than half the pack still U21 , an away final and a Ref hell bent of giving the Cup to the opposition it was a great result. , befitting of a WC celebration.
27 Oct 2012, 21:15 pm
He not God he just s nice guy OK
27 Oct 2012, 21:16 pm
I called it earlier in the week as the Shark media hype was just too much. Also nobody gave WP a chance in hell. Prooooooooooooooooooviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiince!!!!!!!!!
27 Oct 2012, 21:17 pm
It would seem that rugby fans should beware the portent of sharks falling from the sky!
303.MaximusLudicrusHumorus:
26 Oct 2012, 13:09 pm
An omen for high-flying sharks fans…???
Shark falls from sky onto golf course
2012-10-26 11:05San
Juan Capistrano — Golf club employees in Southern California came to the rescue when a shark dropped out of the sky and flopped around on the 12th tee.
San Juan Hills Golf Club operations director Melissa McCormack says a course marshal found the leopard shark on Monday afternoon and brought it to the clubhouse. It had puncture wounds where it appeared a bird had snagged it from the Pacific Ocean, about 8km away.
They stuck the approximately 1kg shark into fresh water before somebody remembered it came from the sea, so they got some sea salt from the kitchen and mixed it in.
Another employee rushed the shark to the ocean where McCormack says it was very still for a few seconds before twisting around and speeding off.? – AP
See you on the 12th tee.
Felicitations to Western Province, their management and fans.
Sympathy and solace to the Sharks and theirs.
27 Oct 2012, 21:17 pm
And yes I’m a person of simple needs.
Small things do make me happy.
27 Oct 2012, 21:17 pm
#623 jet jungle you should realise in the last eleven years wp have only won once the vodacom cup,so today was something new for them,let them enjoy it,asnext year it will be back to normal sweet f##k all.
27 Oct 2012, 21:19 pm
@mikeybrass-625: Groom is superior, far more accurate direct service and control.. Reinach got some gas but still some way to go to catch up to Groom in overall scrumhalf mastery.
Groom and Fourie were the architects of WP success, with Etsebeth and Vermeulen and Armand and even Ntubeni, Kitschoff, Malherbe the workhorses and powerhouse infantry.. De Jongh and De Allende were great and Pietersen, Aplon, Catrakillis was the cherry on the icing.
27 Oct 2012, 21:20 pm
Etzebeth was my man of the match.The Sharks won their first 2 lineouts but then lost 4 or 5 in a row because of him. That was the turning point of the game imo. Anyway well done WP + supporters. Party hard!!
27 Oct 2012, 21:22 pm
Anyhoo back to Bond
Ig don’t be stranger
27 Oct 2012, 21:23 pm
Proud of all our WP supporters. We have taken a lot of stick from some very unsportsmanlike trolls. And well done Sharks players for being great competitors.
27 Oct 2012, 21:23 pm
@Dawn-627: If you say so…@Dawn-630: good for you.. stay happy
@W.P-628: very few called it.. Keohane wouldn’t believe it in a month of Sundays
every sharkshit in town were convinced we were going to get drilled by some margin…
I think maybe you and Nama1 and Jinx2 and myself were perhaps the only few who actually believed we were gonna smack these overrated self emblazoned choking immortals silly.
27 Oct 2012, 21:24 pm
@Peter Mkata-407: Xhosa commentary is out of this world, they tell the truth without being politically correct like the draad-seating English commentary
27 Oct 2012, 21:24 pm
@assagai-611:
Scrheuder5 nearly handed the game to the Sharks in the 81st minute when he couldn’t clean up behind the scrum. Just like he gave away the win against the Sharks in the semi of the S15 by kicking the ball away in the 78th minute while we were trailing by 7 points.
What is your verdict on Groom?
I know you rate DD but I think he is the best scrum half we’ve had since Serfontein.
27 Oct 2012, 21:30 pm
So Province do ‘it’ !!
Well done to the Newlands Boys….
Shame for the Sharkies, hard to be beaten at The Tank, bet the braai fields are a little subdued this evening. Shame, that place rocked and the Sharks fans I met there were very welcoming!!
Still, there is next season!
27 Oct 2012, 21:30 pm
Lewt me just say this, I feel vokkol for any Shark supporter and if that make me an arrogant or bad winner… I don’t care what you think.
OK…
Puma,…commiserations.
Sharks_Lover… go shark yourself
Heavens Game… go to hell
Rangerman… go hunt a squirrel.
Dusky… the sun has set. Go to sleep.
Mr Black… blog under your original nic.
27 Oct 2012, 21:30 pm
Skop we had a tough semi vs the Lions. That was the perfect preparation for the final. Got WP out of their comfort zone. I just had a feeling about this one. Zero chance and zero expectation. Just what we needed!
27 Oct 2012, 21:32 pm
15 Jaco Taute
14 JP Pietersen
13 Juan De Jongh
12 Jean de Villiers
11 Bryan Habana
10 Patrick Lambie
9 Ruan Pienaar
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Willem Alberts
6 Francois Louw
5 Juandre Kruger
4 Eben Etzebeth
3 Jannie Du Plessis
2 Adriaan Strauss
1 Tendai Mtawarira
16 Chilliboy Ralepelle
17 Pat Cilliers
18 Flip Van Der Merwe
19 Marcell Coetzee
20 Francois Hougaard
21 Elton Jantjes
22 Gio Aplon
23 Scarra Ntubeni
24 JC Janse Van Rensburg
25 Franco Van Der Merwe
26 Deon Fourie/Dewaldt Potgieter
27 Cobud Reinach
28 Morne Steyn
29 Louis Ludik/Zane Kirchner
30 Raymond Rhule
27 Oct 2012, 21:33 pm
@MaximusLudicrusHumorus-629:
What was the Monty Python’athon yesterday about?
27 Oct 2012, 21:33 pm
@nama1-638: Schreuder is nowhere nearly as efficient and sharp as Groom at scrum half.. he is big and can hammer the advantage line.. he should stick at 10.. the 10 minutes he played last week at 10 actually got us into the final because if Catrakillis had stayed on I think Lions would have won.
First 60 minutes tonight Catrakillis was doing everything possible to hand Sharks a win.. luckily it turned around.. Fourie and De Jongh and Etsebeth and Vermeulen led the turnaround and Plumtree made some stupid replacement decisions and suddenly WP got the upper hand second half.. but we were well on top first 15 minutes every time Catrakillis kicked or passed..(one time straight to JPP) it was advantage Sharks all over again.
Thankfully Plumtree and Fourie and Etsebeth and De Jongh changed the momentum back again..
Coetsee almost blew it by playing Catrakillis at 10.. thank some god of good mercy that it swung around the way it did because one stage it looked to me like Catrakillis had absolutely obliterated all our front foot momentum to hell.
Groom was out of this world brilliant.. he and Fourie and De Jongh should go on Bok EOYT.. no two ways about it.
27 Oct 2012, 21:34 pm
@nama1-638: Best since Bootie Bun Ferreira.
27 Oct 2012, 21:35 pm
Bet you will find Nikita in Joe Cools, dancing with her knickers on her head right now!!
27 Oct 2012, 21:35 pm
Congrats WP!
I scooped a sizable amount today by getting right both the winner and the margin!
And special thanks for Peyper, what an elegant, classy swindler he is!
No sympathy for the Sharks I am afraid who are guilty of:
1. Letting Peyper doing his cheats unopposed
2. For picking ‘Springbok’ Mvovo
27 Oct 2012, 21:39 pm
@jet jungle-623:
“Pedigree is a much nicer individual when his team is losing.”
HE is a woman.
What are you? A sore loser?
Let us gloat for tonight, OK!!!
@W.P-628:
You know that we did. That’s the most important thing.
WEEPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE………….
@nama1-638:
“but I think he is the best scrum half we’ve had since Serfontein.”
“he” = Groom.
27 Oct 2012, 21:39 pm
I hope this is the start of another WP legacy. I remember – as a kid in the mid 80′s – when that magnificent WP team won 5 cups in a row. Feel like a kid again!
27 Oct 2012, 21:40 pm
@Dawn-609:
Hou op vloek.
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