Kockott kicks Sharks to victory

Rory Kockott: The Sharks' kicking hero

Scrum-half Rory Kockott landed six penalties to take his team to a 28-25 win over Western Province on the opening day of the Currie Cup in Durban on Friday.

Four penalties in the final quarter of an hour sealed the deal for the home team, who came back from 25-16 down to record the win.

Kockott's display was a lone bright spot in an awful game, packed with mistakes. Not much is to be expected on the opening day of the season, but surely it ought to be better than this.

The new use of the TMO to examine moments of foul play was largely a success, although the Capetonians might not see it that way after giving away a the crucial late penalty as a result.

Willem de Waal landed seven from seven for the visitors, paying back the faith shown in him by his bosses, but it was not to be enough.

Kockott's blind side dash for his try was the brief spark the game needed in the opening 20 minutes, and it took his team to an 11-3 lead.

But on the half hour, another handling error in attack from the Sharks was countered blisteringly by the WP backs, with Wylie Human finishing off the move.

A penalty by De Waal from within his own half made the score 19-11 at the break, but Keegan Daniel's try with half an hour to go had the Sharks back in the hunt.

Two more De Waal strikes made it 25-16, but relentless pressure from the home side began to pay, and Kockott kept the punishemtn coming, making it 25-19, then 25-22, then 25-apiece, before his final word, with a minute to go, handed his side the spoils.

The scorers:

For the Sharks:

Tries: Kockott, Daniel

Pens: Kockott 6

For Western Province:

Try: Human

Con: De Waal

Pens: De Waal 6

Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Henno Mentz, 10 Bradley Barritt, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Jacques Botes, 7 Steven Sykes, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Johann Muller (captain), 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Deon Carstens.

Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 Robbie Harris, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Skholiwe Ndlovu, 20 Scott Mathie, 21 Lwazi Mvovo, 22 Andrew Borgen.

Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Wylie Human, 13 Dylan des Fountain, 12 PJ Vermeulen, 11 Joe Pietersen, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Alastair Siegelaar, 8 AJ Venter, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Pieter Myburgh, 5 Ross Skeate (captain), 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Schalk Ferreira.

Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Wicus Blaauw, 18 Ruaan du Preez, 19 Francois van der Merwe, 20 Justin Melck, 21 Paul Delport, 22 Zhahier Ryland.

Referee: Christie du Preez

Touch judges: Cobus Wessels, Reuben Rossouw

TMO: Michael Cupido