Kockott kicks Sharks to victory

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.

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