Province fall to jubilant Falcons
The Falcons have claimed the major scalp many predicted they would, beating Western Province 38-32 in a thrilling game in the Currie Cup, in Brakpan on Friday.
The Falcons have claimed the major scalp many predicted they would, beating Western Province 38-32 in a thrilling game in the Currie Cup, in Brakpan on Friday.
In a furious game that produced two yellow cards and one red, the Falcons shot to a 28-17 half-time lead, and were 35-20 ahead when wing Johan Swartz was red-carded for a spear tackle.
It seemed harsh on the hosts, who had two players of their own given the same spear tackle treatment by Ross Skeate and Francois Louw but only punished by yellow cards.
The Falcons used their now trademark sense of adventure to get themselves into the lead, but when it finally came down to it, they were not found wanting in defensive commitment either.
Falcons fly-half Len Olivier barely kicked the ball. HIs team played fast and hard and ran the better lines. The tempo put huge pressure on the Province defence, and when Deon Fourie spilled a pass, wing Nicky Kritzinger pounced on the loose ball to give the home side a deserved lead.
Willem de Waal landed a penalty to make it 7-3, but Olivier carved a terrific line from a line-out for his team's second try after just ten minutes.
Province rallied, and briefly, the 'natural' order of the Currie Cup was restored. Fondse scored a try from a close charge, and then prop Brok Harris was driven over from a close-range line-out. De Waal converted one try, and it was 15-14 to the visitors.
Province had another possible try disallowed for a forward pass from the TMO – who was used blessedly sparingly – but the game turned when Ross Skeate was sent to the bin for a 'Brad Thorn'.
During Skeate's ten minutes, the Falcons racked up 21 unanswered points. Hooker Ryno Barnes burst over from close range, although he had to pop up on the other wing to do so. Then wing Dewald Pretorius took an inside pass to scramble over on the stroke of half-time after his team had made a couple of moves spanning the length of the field.
Another quick penalty in the first move of the second half put the Falcons 35-15 in the lead, when Ruan Cloete dummied past AJ Venter and crashed over from a quick tap penalty.
Then Swartz was sent off. His tackle on Aplon was more dangerous than Skeate's, in that Aplon landed on his head, but the Falcons may feel aggrieved that Skeate was not more harshly dealt with.
From the penalty drive, Fondse barged over for his second, and after a period of concerted Province pressure during which time the Falcons held out superbly – not least prop Frik Venter bringing down Tonderai Chavhanga – Morgan Newman found a gap and put Wylie Human away with five minutes to go.
The conversion made it 35-32. You'd think Province would have attacked the Falcons relentlessly, but the opposite was true in a frantic finish. The Falcons even made it over the line but Pretorius had the bal taken from him before he could score.
In the final play of the game the Falcons won a penalty, and Olivier booted it triuphantly through the posts.
The scorers:
For the Falcons:
Tries: Kritzinger, Olivier, Barnes, Pretorius, Cloete
Cons: Olivier 5
Pen: Perkins
For Western Province:
Tries: Fondse 2, Harris, Human
Cons: De Waal 3
Pens: De Waal 2
Falcons: 15 Nicky Kritzinger, 14 Dewald Pretorius, 13 Rouan Cloete, 12 Hanno Coetzee (c), 11 Johan Swartz, 10 Len Olivier, 9 Gerrie Odendaal, 8 Sean Plaatjies, 7 Warren Perkins, 6 Reg Muller, 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Wouter Moore, 3 Nico Pretorius, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Frik Venter.
Replacements: 16 Jody Jeneker, 17 Rassie van Vuuren, 18 Reggie Perkins, 19 Emile Verster, 20 Straatkat van Zyl, 21 Jeff Perkins, 22
Dean Bergsteedt.
Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 PJ Vermeulen, 12 Gcobani Bobo (c), 11 Wylie Human, 10 Willem De Waal, 9 Dewald Duvenage, 8 AJ Venter, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Justin Melck, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Wicus Blaauw
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Pieter Louw, 19 Conraad Britz, 20 Alastair Siegelaar, 21 Naas Olivier, 22 Morgan Newman.
Referee: Marius Jonker
Touch judges: Stuart Berry, Lappies Labuschagne
Television match official: Willie Roos
Assessor: Andre Watson