Coetzee lauds brotherhood of WP

Great try: Juan de Jongh

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Western Province head coach Allister Coetzee couldn't give enough praise to his side after their Currie Cup win.

Years of hard work came together in a thrilling victory on Saturday, as Juan de Jongh's try and Demetri Catrakilis' boot saw Province home.

"The commitment, brotherhood and trust came out strongly tonight," an ecstatic Coetzee said.

"We've been playing well and doing all the right things for two years now.

"It was a matter of believing in the guy next to you, a matter of believing in the plan.

"The Sharks are a formidable side and we have a lot of respect for them in what they have been doing, but we knew our desire will be much more tonight."

Western Province were underdogs for the clash but had their fly-half Catrakilis to thank with two late drop-goals proving vital in a 17-point haul.

"I know a lot of guys wrote us off," Coetzee added.

"I think we were the only bunch of players who believed we could win here today.

"We were in a very healthy position in that sense and I loved it so much that we would come here as underdogs and we knew all along that the character in this side is there.

"The plan is right. We've just got to keep doing what we're doing."

The Province head coach hailed his players for the way they stuck to their gameplan, especially after falling nine points behind in the first half of a classic Currie Cup final.

"We've been in that position before and the important thing was to back yourself and trust yourself," he said.

"It was about not rushing or forcing things. Then late in the first half we put them under a bit of pressure with ball in hand.

"At half-time in the change room the whole feeling was this is ours.

"Go out and do the basics right. Put their set-piece under pressure and you saw what happened after that."

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