Brilliant try: Juan de Jongh
Western Province claimed their first Currie Cup title since 2001 with a 25-18 win over the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
Province centre Juan de Jongh scored the only try in a thrilling, high-paced rematch of the 2010 final while fly-half Demetri Catrakilis contributed 17 points with the boot, including two drop-goals.
De Jongh's try four minutes before the interval gave Western Province a 16-12 advantage at the halfway stage.
Sharks fly-half Patrick Lambie kicked all of his team's points and his first four penalties gave the hosts a nine-point lead before the visitors fought back.
Indeed in the early stages it looked like the visitors from Cape Town would once again fall foul of Lambie's boot but - unlike the final two year's ago when the home side dominated - WP took control in the second period, especially in the line-outs where Eben Etzebeth reigned supreme.
Catrakilis opened the scoring in the third minute with a penalty but the Sharks replied with a three-pointer of their own from Lambie 10 minutes later.
The Sharks pivot added three further penalties before Joe Pietersen - who came on as a replacement for the injured Bryan Habana in the 15th minute - landed a monster place kick, from just inside his half, to narrow the gap to six points in the 33rd minute.
Shortly afterwards De Jongh's try changed the flow of the game.
The Springbok midfielder's try was a superb solo effort which silenced the partisan home crowd.
De Jongh ran onto an inside pass from Catrakilis, midway between the Sharks' 22 and the halfway line, shrugged off the challenges of two Sharks defenders and beat Lwazi Mvovo with a deft side-step before scoring under the posts.
Catrakilis added the extras and on the stroke of half-time he slotted another penalty which gave the visitors a 16-12 lead at the break.
John Plumtree's charges were dominant in the scrums throughout and shortly after the break Lambie narrowed the gap to a point after WP's front-row infringed at a set-piece.
Lambie added another penalty, after Frans Malherbe was penalised for not rolling away at ruck, midway through the half which put his side back in front.
Province then upped the ante and were camped close to the Sharks' try-line for long periods but could not breach the home side's defence.
Catrakilis added another penalty after the Sharks strayed offside at a ruck and he sealed the victory with two well-taken drop goals inside the final 15 minutes.
Man of the match: WP skipper Deon Fourie was given the official award while Demetri Catrakilis and Eben Etzebeth both deserve a mention, but we'll go for Juan de Jongh, who scored scintillating try and was a thorn in the Sharks' side from start to finish.
Moment of the match: The Sharks had a stranglehold on the match until De Jongh's moment of brilliance seemed to breathe life into the rest of his team-mates. Up to that point, WP's players - especially the forwards - seemed to be making up the numbers but they soon increased their intensity and gradually took control of proceedings.
Villain of the match: Nothing to report here. Both sides played hard but fair.
The scorers:
For the Sharks:
Pens: Lambie 6
For Western Province:
Try: De Jongh
Con: Catrakilis
Pens: Catrakilis 3
Drops: Catrakilis 2
The Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (c), 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Odwa Ndungane.
Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (c), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Marcel Brache, 22 Joe Pietersen.
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Comments
Lucasrg says...
As a Shark's supporter....congratulations to WP. Well done. the better team of the day. Sharks deserve a virtual title as the best Overall South African Team of the Year!
Next Year, I'm sure, the Sharks will get on of the two titles!
Posted 21:01 01st November 2012
JayStarr says...
@ HRFC2: Jebb Sinclair has been good, but guys like Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi, Deon Fourie and even Nizaam Carr are significantly better in my opinion... So there wasn't room for Jebb in my squad. Besides, he came down as a cover due to our backrow curse... it was never a long-term plan. He'll probably get a better contract in Europe now though - which he deserves.
Posted 19:22 30th October 2012
HRFC2 says...
Jay Starr..You should include Jebb Sinclair in that Wp squad,...his work around the breakdown in numerous matches stopped many turnovers. He is also the only one to survive the back row curse of WP and Stormers.
Posted 13:24 30th October 2012
JayStarr says...
@ Jazz: Catrakilis has signed to play for the EP Kings next year, which is why I did not include him.
Posted 15:13 29th October 2012
Jazz says...
Jaystarr, Catrakilis was outstanding. I would prefer him over Grant and Jantjies.
1) He is a clever player, playing subtle variations based on what in front of him, not just for the sake of it. (Far cry from the monotonous kicking game brainwashed into the 10s up north)
2) He is hard as nails anyway, but still plays with more heart than most.
3) He is quick of the mark (which creates depth for his outside backs) and is a superb distributor.
4) He plays every game in a frantic, involving manner. Hungry for work; hunting for tackles; digging out balls like a loosie...
Like I said, I would prefer him over Jantjies. As yet he is still a bit unpolished, but give him another year and I'm sure he will be pure class. .
Posted 07:14 29th October 2012
JayStarr says...
(continued)
... and I think Alistair Coetzee might also realise this. Which provides interesting food for thought for next year's Super Rugby campaign. Do guys like JdV, Schalk Burger and Dewaldt Duvenage come back and automatically walk into the starting line-up because of their "experience", or does the "exerience" of winning a final (which the other guys have not) count for more?
Personally I think Duvenage should join the back of the queue - because both Groom and Schreuder are far better right now. With the loosies and props I think think Coetzee should rotate them like the Sharks and Crusaders have done - both to keep them fresh and to let the competition for position get the best out of them (it worked wonders for Groom and Schreuder).
Personally I would love to see this as the Stormers' full-strength squad for the start of next year, with the props, loosies and scrum-halves being rotated weekly:
1- Steven Kitschoff
2- Tiaan Liebenberg
3- Frans Malherbe
4- Eben Etzebeth
5- Andries Bekker
6- Deon Fourie
7- Schalk Burger (c)
8- Duanne Vermeulen
9- Louis Schreuder
10- Elton Jantjies
11- Bryan Habana
12- JdV (but not as an incumbant - only if he performs)
13- Juan de Jongh
14- Gio Aplon
15- Jaco Taute
16- Pat Cilliers/Deon Carstens 17- Scarra Ntubeni, 18- Rynhardt Elstadt (converted back to a 4), 19- Siya Kolisi, 20- Nick Groom, 21- Peter Grant, 22- Damien De Allende/Joe Pietersen
With this team and the attitude and attacking approach shown by Province over the last couple of weeks they will be Super Rugby champions next year.
Posted 12:34 28th October 2012
JayStarr says...
Now that I have finally stopped jumping around, laughing uncontrollably and screaming like a banshee...
WHAT A GAME! I almost had a stroke! Western Province had no right to win that game... They had absolutely NOTHING counting in their favour... They even lost their only remaining experienced Springbok in the first 10 minutes..! Yet through sheer doggedness and determination they just never gave up and literally wrestled that game away from the Sharks - and then when they had them on the ropes they put their foot down...
That was undoubtedly the best Currie Cup win - or just WIN - for Province (or Stormers) that I can remember. Never has the odds so been stacked against us where we managed to rise up and win like this. And why? ATTITUDE. That thing that has been so sorely lacking with the Stormers over the last 2 seasons... Which is probably why they did so many things the Stormers have not managed to do in finals - fighting back after being 9 points down, creating a try when they needed one, putting their opponents under pressure with ball in hand, not breaking down after they've been dismantled in the scrums, not being affected by bad calls from the ref, closing out a game, and, of course, WINNING)...
And why this change in attitude? Two reasons. First, Alistair Coetzee did not honestly think they could win the Currie Cup this year, so he used the tournament to bleed young guys and try out a new attacking approach. Secondly, and most importantly, these young guys do not have the emotional baggage the "experienced" Province/Stormers guys have. What this resulted in was a team with energised exuberance who loves a challenge, who does not get rattled by setbacks and who has oodles of self-belief. And that is what won them this game.
For these reasons I honestly do not think Province would've won this game if they were at full strength...
Posted 11:45 28th October 2012
JayStarr says...
@ jackblack: I'm sorry, but you are just plain making stuff up now. I suggest you watch the game again. I did... (immediately afterwards!) The Sharks' scrum with Beast and Jannie absolutely DISMANTLED the Province scrum TWICE, and pushed them back in a nearly every scrum they were a part of... But the young boys of the Province pack (because that's what they are - boys) didn't cave in - they dusted themselves off and just tried harder. You can see the Sharks getting a good hit and pushing Province back, but then the Province guys would not give up and starts pushing the Sharks back... Just look at how hard the Province loosies are pushing in those scrums. Plumtree then took Beast and Jannie off, because he must've thought they were getting tired (as opposed to Province actually out-scrumming them)... a mistake he then realised when Province then pushed the new guys back to their own try line on every scrum!
No mate, stop looking for excuses of Beast and Jannie were tired, or John Plumtree is an idiot... Beast and Jannie both HAD breaks - Steven Kitshoff played more rugby this year than either of them have. Give credit where credit is due: these young Province guys showed unbelievable attitude and determination - far more than the Stormers/Province pack of the last two seasons would have (who would've crumbled psychologically after being dismantled like that)... We saw two future Springbok props grow up quickly in that game. That's all that happened.
@ rorygilmore: Habana hurt his knee in the first 10 minutes. Going for a scan on Monday, so don't know yet whether he'll be joining the British & Irish tour.
@ mfblions: Agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY. Juan de Jongh outside Francois Steyn will be a killer combination. JdV is just not exploiting the half-gaps Steyn is creating. Clearly all De Jongh needs is a half-gap !
Posted 10:57 28th October 2012
Rolf says...
Jay Starr - i KNEW you would say taht.
VEE-PEE!
Especially without somany Bokke an impressive performance.
Eben and Fourie were immense, Ntubeni surprised me, but I think we all will regret the loss of Demetri one day.
Posted 10:06 28th October 2012
benski says...
Happy!! 11 years Woo Hoo!!
Posted 08:11 28th October 2012
kappelange says...
Didnt I tell you guys that we were gonna to win this time?
Great triumph for WP rugby. They knock the Stormers out in the SR semis. They beat WP twice during the regular season. Their fans mock us, call us names and never shy away from rubbing it in.
They meat the Sharks one last time in the Currie Cup final, in durban. WP field an understrength u21 dominated lineup whereas the sharks are full strength. The out of favour springbok 13 scores the only try of the game, the leaving captain puts in a MOTM performance and a future great in Etzebeth puts in an already legendary performance on his 21st birthday.
25-18
Western Province wins the Currie Cup!
WP JOU LEKKER DING!
Posted 05:32 28th October 2012
SACanuck says...
Congrats WP best team won of the day. Sharks are still lacking the mental edge, losing 3 finals in a row is not good. Etzabeth was outstanding. Must win all the awards he is nominated for. Great game.
Posted 22:55 27th October 2012
martinmarais78 says...
Sorry Sharks, guess you just have to buy some more!!! (Poor Free State and Griquas)
Posted 21:34 27th October 2012
martinmarais78 says...
Only one question: Naikok aka Daibok, DOES IT HURT!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
PROVINCE JOU LEKKER DING!!!
Posted 21:05 27th October 2012
rorygilmore says...
Damn.... Oh well. Province played well. @ Melkdave, regarding the surprise at the lack of tries, it's true the attacking potential in both teams was promising but in finals, as at interntaional level, defence wins those kind of games. The wet field and damp conditions were always going to hamper try scoring opportunities, but the curved ball, despite what jackblack above says, was the inclusion of a crucial Springbok in the province line-up. One young Eben Etsebeth, who only turns 21 on Monday. Combined with Burden's poor day (inexperience or rustiness?) at lineout time. But a great advert for Rugby. What happened to Habana though?
Posted 20:58 27th October 2012
jackblack says...
Sharks scrum was anything but dominant throughout - in fact, they only once pushed Province back. The reason the Sharks lost was because ol Plum made the same mistake he made last year in playing worn out, tired Springboks...Jannie and Beast needed a break - they deserved a break. Those two props looked dead on their feet at 50 minutes and the game swung after that point. You could actually see Beast - hands on hips, gasping for breath - as Catrakilis sent a drop goal flying over his head! Wake up Plumtree & Sharks selectors - will you never learn?
Posted 19:33 27th October 2012
mfblions says...
De Jongh must play @ 13 for SA, hopefully H Meyer was watching...
Posted 19:25 27th October 2012
BillyMutt2 says...
Careful now @JayStarr, lest you injure yourself ... :) Good away win by Western Province, congratulations to them - must feel great to see the cup in the trophy cabinet again.
Posted 18:13 27th October 2012
philipjfry says...
And breathe. . .
Posted 18:07 27th October 2012
BokAvenger says...
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. The Guppies turned into fish paste. Prooooovince!!!
Posted 17:57 27th October 2012