Bonus-point win for Western Province

Editor

Western Province returned to the top of the Currie Cup table, after notching a 36-12 victory over Griquas in Cape Town on Saturday.

Western Province returned to the top of the Currie Cup table, after notching a 36-12 victory over Griquas in Cape Town on Saturday.

In an entertaining game, in which both sides gave the ball plenty of air, the men from the Cape dominated from the outset and were rewarded with a bonus-point after scoring five tries.

WP were a point adrift of the Golden Lions before kick-off but their victory means they move four points clear of the Johannesburg-based side in the standings.

The home side started the match brightly and their attacking play was rewarded with two tries inside the opening quarter.

Justin Geduld was the first to cross the whitewash, when he had an easy run-in inside Griquas' 22 in the seventh minute and Sikhumbuzo Notshe scored from a driving maul on his debut.

Demetri Catrakilis converted both tries and added a penalty in the 21st minute to give WP a 17-0 lead.

Things went from bad to worse for Griquas in the 25th minute when Maks van Dyk was sent to the sin for headbutting Scarra Ntubeni at a scrum.

WP made full use of their numerical advantage and Brok Harris scored their third try, from close quarters, after Juan de Jongh did well in the build-up with a mazy run which tore the visitors' defence to shreds.

Griquas thought they had opened their account when Janro van Niekerk dived over, from a ruck, close to WP's try-line. But his effort was disallowed after Hilton Lobberts was pinged for being offside in the build-up.

WP went into the sheds holding a commanding 24-0 lead but Griquas reduced the deficit, shortly after the restart, when Ruaan Lerm scored their first try after the visitors attacked the blindside from line-out possession deep inside WP's 22.

The hosts upped the ante as they went in search of their bonus-point try and were rewarded in the 58th minute when Notshe scored his second five-pointer.

His effort was a carbon copy of his earlier try as he dotted down under a mass of bodies after WP's pack went on the drive from a line-out inside Griquas' 22.

The rest of the half was a disappointing affair with plenty of handling errors from both sides.

While WP were more subdued, Griquas hammered away at their hosts' try-line but were kept out for most of the half by a solid defensive effort.

Griquas' efforts were eventually rewarded when Abrie Griesel crossed over, for a consolation try shortly before the end, after they launched an attack from inside their own half.

That wasn't to be the end, however, as both sides kept the ball alive for more than five minutes after the siren had sounded to indicate full-time.

WP's diminutive full-back Cheslin Kolbe finished the game in style, when he got over the try-line after his captain, De Jongh was stopped just short by two defenders.

The scorers:

For Western Province:
Tries:Nothshe 2, Geduld, Harris, Kolbe
Con: Catrakilis 3, Coleman
Pen: Catrakilis

For Griquas:
Try: Lerm
Con: Grant

Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (c), 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Justin Geduld, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Manuel Carizza, 20 Rohan Kitshoff, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Kurt Coleman.

Griquas: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Jonathan Francke, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 PJ Vermeulen, 10 Francois Brummer (capt), 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Burger Schoeman, 7 Ruaan Lerm, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Maks van Dyk, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Janro van Niekerk, 18 Jonathan Adendorf, 19 Carel Greeff, 20 Abrie Griesel, 21 Dean Grant, 22 Danie Dames.

Referee: Lesego Legoete