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, 18:46 pm
Wow, this site is going to be truly unbearable now.
27 Oct 2012, 18:46 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-243: Without a doubt.
WP managed to get on top of the Sharks scrum which was impressive.
Eben was immense. JdJ outstanding.
27 Oct 2012, 18:47 pm
WEEEPEEE FOREVER
27 Oct 2012, 18:47 pm
Il echo that.BOOM.where is heavens game?
27 Oct 2012, 18:47 pm
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO
27 Oct 2012, 18:47 pm
De Jongh, Catrakilis, Etzebeth, Ntubeni and D Fourie exceptional
27 Oct 2012, 18:47 pm
Well done boys
27 Oct 2012, 18:47 pm
well done wp
played a great game
27 Oct 2012, 18:47 pm
Gangnnam everyone
27 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
it seems like wp/stormers can only win when they are the underdogs.
Congratulations.
plum, u thought u have learned from 2011′s mistakes. u did not.
alberts, mvovo, burden and sykes did nothing today.
27 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
What bliss this site will be without HG and the like bleeting about a boom here and a pop there.
27 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
27 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
@mikeybrass-252:
hehe
well done on your teams win, boet
27 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
What now varkies? Catrakilis the new world beating 10?
27 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
@grant10-246:
Congrats mate…. Your u21 pack, outstanding!
27 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
@CoachPete-253:
I’m right here!
What a game! The Greek God of Sniping!
27 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
Well done province, great game, better on the day and deserved their victory. For us Sharks, thats the way the boerie bends, but proud of the boys. This sharks side will grow, learn and become better.
27 Oct 2012, 18:49 pm
Ek is so vokken trots op die manne.skote petoors!
27 Oct 2012, 18:49 pm
Hey Skoppie, the Greek came through
27 Oct 2012, 18:49 pm
@mikeybrass-245:
Quite honestly, I didn’t think our youngsters could do it either. Poor JdeV, not being there after so long.
27 Oct 2012, 18:49 pm
@kaksioek-251: Give them their dues and take the medicine like a man. It’s a 11 years constipation that has to be released now. And we’ve given them their share of grief. Its their chance now – and well done WP for giving your fans something – finally !
27 Oct 2012, 18:49 pm
Lambie played fantastic today…his pack disappeared, however.
Lambie should be Bok flyhalf, in my opinion…
27 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
I HAVE WAITED ELEVEN FARKEN YEARS FOR THIS…BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
WP JOU LEKKER DING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
27 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
@Brendope-267: SA rugby is in good hands with the Sharks and WP. Ref aside, who was disgusting, there was great promise shown by both sides.
Sharks and WP will be our dominant sides for the next couple of years.
27 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
When the going got tough, Lambie didn’t get going…
27 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
BOOM Sharks supports have left the building
27 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
Ohhhhhhhh yeeeeeaaaaaah!
No more No Cups Coetzee jokes!
Great game, Currie Cup still has the magic!
27 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
@phil72-264: He looked very good today. He must just put a few of those performances together in a row and he will be here. From Varsity Cup two years or so ago to Springbok. Imagine !
27 Oct 2012, 18:51 pm
No more farken kak empty cabinet jokes!
WP FOR LIFE!!!!!!!
27 Oct 2012, 18:51 pm
The Greek made Skop look silly. Bitter-sweet win for him.
27 Oct 2012, 18:51 pm
11 Years. Now that “when has WP last won a trophy “line is farken right outta here . What a performance.
27 Oct 2012, 18:51 pm
All afternoon I was saying that Pietersen was not built for tight games and always took the wrong decision although I take my hat off to him for that take and he kicked a long range kick. Well done.
27 Oct 2012, 18:52 pm
@CoachPete-276: Nope.
27 Oct 2012, 18:52 pm
@WP-Forever-266:
Yeah I see that
27 Oct 2012, 18:52 pm
Gongrats WP! Take a bow Etzebeth, Fourie and Catrakilis
27 Oct 2012, 18:52 pm
11 years of heart ache now for the super 15 prooooooovince!
27 Oct 2012, 18:52 pm
WOW WOW WOW…!!
And a massive ***AIR PUNCH***…!!!
Congratulations Western Province…!!
Very very very proud of the way the team played tonight and through a very difficult season and year!!
Commiserations to all the Sharks fans… Charo, Puma, Ranger, SharksGirl, Ryecatcher, Mr Black, SharksLover and everyone else.… your team has been the best of the season and the one to beat all season… and Province finally put one over the Sharks today…!!
Well done again Province players…
And awesome job to Allister, Jacque, Matthew and Robbie…
27 Oct 2012, 18:52 pm
Heaven’s Game: “Who’se Your Daddy?”
BOOM
27 Oct 2012, 18:52 pm
@Dusky-271: Ja, no, well, fine.
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
Cracker game of rugby. Truly awesome final.
Congrats Province, enjoy the win. Its an amazing feeling when u win this thing after such a long time. Believe me.
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
WP jou lekka ding
Enjoy this loss Sharks fans, the ref kept you in the game
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
@wp_boytjie-281: Feels good ey ?
Sharks fans know….
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
“the rain is certainly coming down raining on the sharks parade” – joel stranky
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
@kaksioek-251:
Listening to the Sharkies, it’s been unbearable for the last week. As they say, “Hope makes a poor supper, but a good breakfast”!
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
Ja. Keegan. Thank Peyper. He worked hard.
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
Heavens game just went Jehova.
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
yes revenge is sweet we didn’t forget the super 15 semi
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
Rugby was the winner today. Either side could have won it but wow, Province, what a performance! What a high-intensity match in difficult conditions! Great advert for SA Rugby.
27 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
You beat us 4times in a row you serial Finals Chokers,WE HAD THE LAST LAUGH!!!!!!!!!!!WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
WP jou lekka Ding!!!Haaaa haaaaa haaaaaaaaa
WP WP WP WP WP WP
27 Oct 2012, 18:54 pm
@ufo-287: yooo hooo
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