Nine-try WP destroy Free State Cheetahs
Western Province were in a rampant mood as they destroyed the Free State Cheetahs 57-14 in their Currie Cup clash at Newlands on Saturday.
The home side dominated from the outset and totally bamboozled their opponents. WP eventually outsocred the men from Bloemfontein nine tries to two with the Cheetahs' five-pointers scored in the game's closing stages.
Ramone Samuels scored WP's first converted try of the game after he collected a great offload in the tackle from Ruhan Nel.
The home side scored again in the 10th minute after another impressive offload in the tackle – this time from EW Viljoen – went to Craig Barry who sprinted and dove over in the left hand corner.
Jaco Coetzee scored the home side's third try after collecting a loose pass in the middle of the paddock to run in under the posts. JD Schickerling then scored the bonus-point try for WP after collecting a pass from Barry who instigated the move that saw plenty of impressive offloads and support play for the Province team.
A fifth WP try followed shortly afterwards – scored by Huw Jones, who showed great pace to out-sprint the Cheetahs outside backs down the left touchline. Wilco Louw scored the sixth try of the first 40, powering over from the base of a ruck from a few centimeters out which secured the home side a 36-0 lead at half-time.
Ten minutes into the second half, Samuels scored his second after stealing the ball and breaking down the blind side.
Coetzee also scored his second after 63 minutes by collecting an offload and crashing over the line from five meters out.
Sikhumbuzo Notshe got in on the scoring act after picking up and diving over the line off the back of a monstrous WP scrum on the five meter line.
The Cheetahs finally got onto the scoreboard in the 71st minute when Daniel Maartens showed a great step, pace and a hand-off on his way to scoring a try which Ernst Stapelberg converted.
Marnus van der Merwe scored another consolation try in the 81st minute, making the final score 57-14 to Western Province.
The scorers:
For Western Province:
Tries: Samuels 2, Barry, Coetzee 2, Schickerling, Jones, Louw, Notshe
Cons: Willemse 3, Du Preez 3
Pens:
For Cheetahs:
Tries: Maartens, Van Der Merwe
Cons: Stapelberg 2
Pens:
Western Province: 15 Craig Barry, 14 Werner Kok, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Huw Jones, 11 Ruhan Nel, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Chris van Zyl (c), 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 Ali Vermaak
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Michael Kumbirai, 18 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 19 Kobus van Dyk, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Robert du Preez, 22 Dan Kriel
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Marco Mason, 14 Carel Jan Coetzee, 13 Jacobus Jonker, 12 Steph Janse van Rensburg, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Ernst Stapelberg, 9 Juan-Philip Smith, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Chris Dry (c), 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Nicolaas Immelman, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Johan Kotze
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Andrew Kuhn, 18 Siba Qoma, 19 Daniel Maartens, 20 Fifi Rampeta, 21 Dian Badenhorst, 22 Ryno Eksteen
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Divan Uys
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
By Brandon Yates