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, 19:26 pm
Catrakillis pulled it back in the last 20 min his 2 drops sealing the result, but he cost WP at least 12 points, had Schreuder started at 10 WP would have been up by 20 points in first half
Juan de Jongh, Nick Groom, Eben Etsebeth, Duanne Vermeulen and especially Deon Fourie with Joe Pietersen and Scara Ntubeni, Gio Aplon, Don Armand, De Allende, Kitchoff, Malherbe, these the players that won this game and stuffed the overrated guppies back in their sardonic sardine blik
Province gave away at least 3 tries and luckily Catrakillis came good in the end but first half he gave away too much momentum, had Schreuder started at 10 would have been one way traffic from first half. Groom is much better 9 than Schreuder and De Jongh turned the game around. Luckily the team effort translated into a win and thankfully De Jongh, Vermeulen, Etsebeth and Fourie set the platform for Catrakillis and a WP win.
27 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
Proooooooooooooooooooooovince!!!!!!!
27 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
Deon Fourie to replace Lieb’s in the Bok squad. Craig who?
27 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
@Robzim-400: AC is a true servant of SA rugby.
27 Oct 2012, 19:27 pm
Hats off to WP… well deserved victory
To state the obvious: WP was immense in defence, in the lineouts & in fetching prowess. Some WP players (e.g. Deon Fourie/ Juan dJ) may have forced themselves into the EOYT.
Re WP:
“And like bright metal on a sullen ground,
My reformation, glittering o’er my fault,
Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes
Than that which hath no foil to set it off.
I’ll so offend, to make offence a skill;
Redeeming time when men think least I will.”
Nothing as sweet as long overdue, unexpected, but well deserved victory… Enjoy!
27 Oct 2012, 19:27 pm
@mikeybrass-398:
Well with out decent front row he does not need to scrum
27 Oct 2012, 19:27 pm
How I wish people could comprehend isiXhosa and listen to their commentary. Men thos ecommentators are hillareous. The things they say about the players and Meyer the coach especially is out of this world.
27 Oct 2012, 19:28 pm
Deon Fourie is the WP/Stormers player of the season IMO. This fellow has been farking immense! He would be my reserve openside flank in the Bok team. Pure class!
27 Oct 2012, 19:28 pm
@mikeybrass-393: I agree! IMO Fourie is a beter no6 then no2. I hope he makes Meyers bok team tomorrow.
27 Oct 2012, 19:28 pm
@assagai-401: lighten up a bit Skop .
27 Oct 2012, 19:28 pm
@Robzim-400:
Howzit Rib
Good win At last
27 Oct 2012, 19:28 pm
@assagai-401: Schreuder had deer in the headlights play for the few minutes he was on. In hindsight, AC made the right choice sticking with Cat on the field once he had decided to field a settled team (with Allende being the surprise, and the right surprise choice).
AC got it right. Take a bow AC.
27 Oct 2012, 19:29 pm
JdJ’s man-handling of KD was a sweet moment.
27 Oct 2012, 19:30 pm
@assagai-401: Schreuder should think of his future as a flyhalf. He is too tall and gangly to be a quick scrummy. Groom is a superior scrummy and kept his cool.
27 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
JDJ’s “Jammer meneer maar die bus is vol” moment was a personal highlight for me.
27 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
This will go down as the choke of all chokes for the Guppies.
27 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
PROVINCE……… PROOOVINCE……….DIE CURRIE CUP KOM WEER…
27 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
Ja where is that wp with the long name multinic
27 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
@CoachPete-411:
Hi Pete, just amazing, i never gave this youngsters much chance today,if they an keep this lot together we can dominate SA rugby for long time. Big party tonight for sure!!
27 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
The isiXhosa commentators are so hillarious. How I wish the players and Hannekke the Boks coach in particular could listen to them. Poetry in motion.
27 Oct 2012, 19:33 pm
@Peter Mkata-407: Wish I could. I have a dsylexia when it comes to learning other languages. Bloody strange problem.
@wnbb-413: The Cullen of loosies was nowhere except on the ground. Did you see him towards the end completely and utterly out on his feet with hands on his knees?
Fourie for Bok squad…
27 Oct 2012, 19:33 pm
Etzebeth will become the greatest Bok in the history of SA rugby!!
27 Oct 2012, 19:34 pm
@Robzim-419:
Yeah big party allover CT I am sure
I now have to take off my province T shirt and pu ton Orange and black for our
SF Giants this evening The leave 2-0 in World series
World series ??? they only play against other american teams
27 Oct 2012, 19:34 pm
Sorry “They lead”
27 Oct 2012, 19:35 pm
So so so happy
No Habana , Bekker , Elstadt , Liebenberg , Schalk.
Very pleased for the team and management, so many close games where we came second , finally!!!!!!
27 Oct 2012, 19:35 pm
@Robzim-419: AC did right by turning down M eyer and sticking with WP. We need strong provincial teams feeding through to the Bok squad.
27 Oct 2012, 19:36 pm
@wp_boytjie-425: Now the youngsters know how not just to win close matches and come top but to win the knockouts too.
27 Oct 2012, 19:37 pm
@CoachPete-423:
The Giants should beat the Tigers. Bumgarner pitched so well the last game!
27 Oct 2012, 19:37 pm
if jdj’s not the starting bok 13 dan weet ek nie…
27 Oct 2012, 19:38 pm
I knew it was going to end this way, all those Guppie Boks (and SHOULD be Boks) really smashed us.
There was just no way.
I couldn’t bear to watch the massacre…I wept for my U/20 kids. I howled for the WP fellas having to face Bresler, Burden, Reinach and co.
When Bryan went off, I knew it was over
So I’m just a little confused as to why I see the fatfcuk spermwhale Vermeulen holding the Currie Cup?
‘n Sakkie droe bokkoms en a sa-moo-sa…….
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! Guppies sh y te just got real
I’m just trying to decide whether SARU’s “Player of the Year – as voted by Guppies – Keegan Daniel, spent so much time on his a s s ?”
Commisserations to my friends amongst the Sharks.
Utterly evil grins, air punches and mormon ^5′s for the others.
27 Oct 2012, 19:39 pm
Jislaaik but there is some young talent coming through.
Eben Etzebeth, Marcell Coetzee, Pat Lambie, Siya Kolisi…Bok rugby looks bright.
27 Oct 2012, 19:39 pm
@CoachPete-423:
Just enjoy it as well… it’s good that u are embracing the american lifestyle as well, it always pisses me off when people go and live in another country and then only badmouth their new home – what are the americans saying about Lance Armstrong, or is it not really big news there (cycling being a cinderella sport over there) ?
27 Oct 2012, 19:39 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-430:
HAHAHAHA, **** JUST GOT REAL!
FARKING BOOOOOOM!
27 Oct 2012, 19:39 pm
@WP-Forever-428:
Yeah Plus they beat Verlander in game who is the games best pitcher
I would like to see more production out of 5-9 in the line up
we cant rely on top 4 the whole series
27 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
@assagai-401:
dont be a doos,skop.
the wp fh shut you and the sharks up nicely.
give him his dues.
@stormersboy-415:
27 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
@mikeybrass-427:
2 years ago Scarra , Etzebeth , Malherbe , Kolisi , Elstadt and maybe some names i forgot won the u21 final.
Wonderful to see how they have taken it a step further.
27 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-430:
They’re going hungry tonight, no bread made from WP “bone meal” tonight…
27 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-430: Haha go get ‘em lass!
27 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
Dis n WP ding,n lekka lekka WP ding!!!When the Sharks shot into a nine point lead I feared for the worst,but that great team spirit of the boys refused to accept defeat.
27 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
@stormersboy-415: I only stopped laughing when a friend smacked me hard between the shoulder blades…….
27 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
I dont ever visit this site on weekends, but tonights special.
HeavensGame – You absolute and total moron. You are an absolute disgrace to all Sharks supporters and I love how much you are hurting now.
To all real Sharks supporters, hard luck. WP/Stormers fans know what it feels like to fail at the final hurdle!
To WP
Well done indeed. Against all odds, you showed what you can do!
Enjoy the victory, and good luck for next year!
Lastly, well done Mr Coetzee and Co. Take a bow!
Champions!
27 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
@Robzim-432:
Actually they are shocked Most cant believe it right now.
But it seems he had US and World cycling dupped for so long
Yes I think he cheated for many years and his doctors just made sure he was not caught
27 Oct 2012, 19:42 pm
Take nothing away from Allister , but John Dobson’s work with the youngsters has clearly had a very positive impact.
27 Oct 2012, 19:43 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-430:
Yeah, i feel so sorry for the jonny come latelies, they came so close only to choke again against an “under 20 side’ – the bruddas must be devestated now, could not have happened to a nicer bunch.
27 Oct 2012, 19:43 pm
@Robzim-432:
yeah thanks i agree I like football and baseball but as you know rugby is my passion and I am a die hard WEEE PEE, Stormers and Bok supporter
27 Oct 2012, 19:43 pm
@CoachPete-442:
It appears to have been the most systematic, sophisticated and well-orchestrated doping (and duping) program ever instituted in sport.
They should nail this guy to the posts. Jail time. He committed perjury.
27 Oct 2012, 19:44 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-440: @Robzim-444:
I’m really going to miss the Sharks supporters on the blog.
Who are we going to play with now?
27 Oct 2012, 19:46 pm
@Stawm-441: 100% well put.
27 Oct 2012, 19:46 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-430:
wel gedaan aan jou span se fantastiese oorwinning en aan al die trotse wp ondersteuners wie by hulle span bygestaan het deur al die swaar tye.
enjoy the BOOMS!
27 Oct 2012, 19:47 pm
@WP-Forever-446:
yeah I have to agree with you
I dont think he will I think he is going to lose a lot financially (endorsments etc)
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