Western Province beat Griquas 34-17 to strengthen their bid for a home semi-final in the Currie Cup.
Currie Cup: Western Province 34-17 Griquas – match report
Western Province started the match eager to bag a full five points but they soon realised they would be made to sweat on a hot Boxing Day in Cape Town.
The home side started well turning down a few early goalable penalties which demonstrated their intent to score tries. They would drive over from five out and Bongi Mbonambi coming up with the ball. Tim Swiel made it 7-0 from the tee.
A slightly aimless kicking game prevented Western Province from playing the game where they wanted to.
Western Province would break Griquas down from fifty-metres out for their second try with the TMO ruling a suspect pass to Dan Du Plessis did not go forward. Du Plessis had shown great pace to dash to the tryline after slicing through the Griquas defence.
Eduan Keyter put Griquas on the board after a flowing backline move from the visitors, with Berton Klaasen setting him away.
At halftime, Western Province led 17-7.
Second half
The game opened up a bit in the second half as the shadows lengthened across the Newlands pitch.
Mbonambi would again score first and again after a maul, this time breaking off and surging over the line to score his team’s third.
Western Province weren’t as precise in their opponents half as they would have liked but got the rub of the green especially in the build-up to their fourth try. Juarno Augustus had the ball stripped by Gideon van der Merwe, but the Griquas flanker popped the ball up in trying to complete the strip allowing Jaco Coetzee to grab it and power over to put WP in bonus-point territory.
Once Western Province got the buffer of another try courtesy of Chad Solomon, who went over as the hosts drove another maul into the red zone.
Griquas mounted a concerted late effort and were eventually rewarded with a consolation try from Sibabalo Qoma.
Teams
Western Province –15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Johan du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Chris van Zyl, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Subs (from): 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Jaco Coetzee, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Ruhan Nel, 23 Tristan Leyds, 24 Ernst van Rhyn, 25 Chris Schreuder, 26 Leolin Zas.
Griquas – 15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Andre Swarts, 11 Enver Brandt, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Zak Burger (captain), 8 Johan Momsen, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Adre Smith, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Alandre van Rooyen, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel. Subs – from: 16 Hendrick Luus, 17 Nqobisizwe Mxoli, 18 Tijde Visser, 19 Ewan Coetzee, 20 Sibabalo Qoma, 21 Cyril Velleman, 22 Ashlon Davids, 23 Daniel Kasende, 24 Bandisa Ndlovu, 25 Raegan Oranje.
