Very impressive by WP

Tank Lanning

A very special performance from Western Province on Saturday … Written off by so many prior to the game (including this scribe), and in the face of a scrum being man handled by the all Bok Sharks front row, this took guts, passion and class from the Cape side.

And it all started the moment Demetri Catrakilis started taking the ball up or giving his backs the ball instead of kicking it away …

Juan De Jongh’s try just before half time – a key turning point in the match – was a thing of absolute beauty – the timing and angle of the run superb, then that sensational step …

Craig Burden’s woeful lineout throwing – he could not hit a cow on the arse with a banjo on Saturday – And Eben Etzebeth’s resultant prowess in the air, was another key factor in the game.

But perhaps the most fundamental moment was the substitution of Jannie du Plessis with Wiehahn Herbst after 60 minutes. The Sharks were demolishing the young WP scrum, and this substitution allowed WP to regain parity up front and keep them in the contest. I have taken a little stick for suggesting Du Plessis as the obvious SARU player of the year (it truly amazes me that he is not even one of the final five finalists), but this just further proves the point. Not particularly flashy, and prone to the odd disciplinary brain fart, but the rock around which the Bok and Sharks pack is built …

Deon Fourie and Duane Vermeulen were very good on the ground – slowing down Sharks ball and effecting turnovers.

As the above suggests, I do think the Sharks choked on the day, but WP’s sheer passion and will to win was too much for the home side to handle on the day. It was a great final, and a fitting finale to what is still a top notch tournament … Certainly several notches up on a Rebels vs Force snoreathon, and more than comparable with the Canterbury vs Auckland ITM Cup final held earlier in the day.

Referee Jaco Peyper did not have his best game … With most calls going against WP it seems. Joe Pietersen “knock on”, JP Pietersen “no knock” and penalty against Frans Malherbe for not rolling away are the big three I remember … Luckily it did not have much of an affect on the result.

A look at the weekend’s results and repercussions:

Currie Cup final results:
Sharks 18-25 Western Province

U21: Western Province 13 – 22 Blue Bulls
U19: Western Province 22 – 18 Blue Bulls

Promotion / Relegation
EP 6-16 Cheetahs
Cheetahs remain in the Premier division of the Currie Cup. EP will play Super Rugby from the 1st division while the Lions will be in the Premier division of the Currie Cup and not playing Super Rugby

The Bok squad to tour the UK:
Willem Alberts – Sharks – Loose forward – 17 Test caps
Arno Botha – Blue Bulls – Loose forward – 0
Schalk Brits – Saracens, England – Hooker – 3
Pat Cilliers – Golden Lions – Prop – 3
Marcell Coetzee – Sharks – Loose forward – 9
Juan de Jongh – Western Province – Centre – 12
Jean de Villiers (captain) – Western Province – Centre – 81
Jannie du Plessis – Sharks – Prop – 39
Eben Etzebeth – Western Province – Lock – 8
Francois Hougaard – Blue Bulls – Scrumhalf /Wing – 24
Elton Jantjies – Golden Lions – Flyhalf – 2
Zane Kirchner – Blue Bulls – Fullback – 21
Juandré Kruger – Blue Bulls – Lock – 5
Pat Lambie – Sharks – Fullback – 17
Francois Louw – Bath, England – Loose forward – 14
Lionel Mapoe – Golden Lions – Wing / Centre – 0
Tendai Mtawarira – Sharks – Prop – 41
Lwazi Mvovo – Sharks – Wing – 7
Ruan Pienaar – Ulster, N Ireland – Scrumhalf – 60
JP Pietersen – Sharks – Wing/Centre – 45
Chiliboy Ralepelle – Blue Bulls – Hooker – 21
Raymond Rhule – FS Cheetahs – Wing – 0
Gurthrö Steenkamp – Toulouse, France – Prop – 38
Morné Steyn – Blue Bulls – Flyhalf – 41
Adriaan Strauss – FS Cheetahs – Hooker – 18
Jaco Taute – Golden Lions – Utility back – 2
CJ van der Linde – Golden Lions – Prop – 73
Flip van der Merwe – Blue Bulls – Lock – 20
Franco van der Merwe – Golden Lions – Lock – 0
Jano Vermaak – Blue Bulls – Scrumhalf – 0
Duane Vermeulen – Western Province – No 8 – 4

Steenkamp ahead of JC Janse van Rensburg and Britz ahead of Scarra Ntubeni? Neither player will actually play so why not give these two guys who have performed so well in the Currie Cup – at home – a chance to experience the Springbok culture? Good to see Rhule’s fantastic form rewarded with a call up, but perhaps a little sad not to see Gio Aplon in the side. And with Lambie bracketed as only a fullback, and thus not likely to even be regarded as opposition to Morne Steyn, it seems likely that the Boks will start with Steyn at 10 and Kirchner at 15 … Which is pretty “Ho-Hum” in my book. With so many exciting youngsters in SA, the EOYT is an ideal opportunity to give them a run, but with Heyneke Meyer under pressure to keep his job, it looks like he is going to remain conservative with his selections. Perhaps I will go on that boys weekend to the Bokkeveld, where there is no TV, after all …

ITM Cup final
Canterbury 31-18 Auckland
Canterbury won the national championship for a record fifth successive year.

New Zealand EOYT rouring squad:
Backs: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Aaron Smith, Piri Weepu, Beauden Barrett, Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden Tamati Ellison, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Israel Dagg, Hosea Gear, Cory Jane, Ben Smith, Julian Savea.
Forwards: Dane Coles, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Tony Woodcock, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock, Ali Williams, Sam Cane, Richie McCaw (capt), Liam Messam, Kieran Read, Adam Thomson, Victor Vito.

Aviva Premiership:
Bath 23 – 15 Exeter
Northampton 6 – 16 Saracens
Gloucester 27 – 21 Leicester
Worcester 23 – 16 Sale

RaboDirect PRO12:
Ospreys 26 – 9 Connacht
Benetton Treviso 13 – 24 Glasgow
Leinster 59 – 22 Cardiff Blues
Newport-Gwent D’gons 19 – 46 Ulster
Edinburgh 28 – 29 Scarlets
Munster 29 – 3 Zebre

Top 14:
Stade Francais 28 – 24 Toulouse
Mont de Marsan 14 – 22 Bordeaux-Begles
Montpellier 23 – 6 Grenoble
Perpignan 17 – 13 Racing Metro
Toulon 59 – 0 Bayonne
Agen 14 – 22 Castres
Clermont Auvergne 19 – 12 Biarritz

SuperBru:
Well done Jimfromsa … The man dominated the Front Row Grunt Currie Cup pool from start to finish! But it was tight … Together with Podgie and Joe Hero, they take home the R2 300.00 in Reebok vouchers …