Province edge Loftus derby
Outscoring the Bulls by two tries to nil in a bruising encounter in Pretoria the defending champions advanced to the Final – where they will meet the winner of Saturday's encounter between the Golden Lions and Free State Cheetahs.
There is a special type of agony in the tension of a knock-out match, especially a semifinal. You could see it in the body language of the players and you could hear it in the voices of the 25 000 spectators, and you could see and hear the crescendo as the match played to its end, the release of its end as it snapped the tension, either in the soggy fatigue of defeat or the energetic elation of victory.
Play this game again next week, and the result could be different as they are two well-matched teams. The difference was that Western Province took their chances and scored two tries while the Blue Bulls did not really have chances to score tries – luck, the bounce of the ball, their own errors or the Western Province defence thwarting them. And they did not have a Cheslin Kolbe or a Steven Kitshoff.
The Blue Bulls played with the wind on the blustery evening after a day of heat and they were immediately on the attack. Nick Groom aimed to clear from a ruck but his kick was charged down and Western Province were penalised at the following ruck. Tian Schoeman kicked the first of his six penalty goals. 3-0 after a minute.
In all Schoeman kicked six penalties out of eight attempts. Western Province were penalised 14 times, 10 of them at rucks or related to rucks. In the second half the penalty count was 8-1 against them. That added to their burden of defence.
Western Province had a chance to level scores when Jamba Ulenga was penalised at a tackle but Rob du Preez's kick bounced away off the upright. It was the only one of his five kicks at goal that he missed.
The Blue Bulls worked an overlap for Ulenga who ran and chipped. Then Western Province were again penalised at a tackle. 6-0 after 12 minutes.
Three minutes later Du Preez made it 6-3.
Western Province used the maul exceptionally well. They marched downfield and Lappies Labuschagne was penalised. They kicked out for a five-metre line-out but the throw-in was over all the heads and the Blue Bulls won the ball.
When Cheslin Kolbe ran in counterattacked he was tackled high by Pierre Schoeman's swinging arm. The prop was sent to the sin bin for this. Not much damage was done in his absence, for when he returned the score was 9-9, as first Du Preez, then Schoeman and then Du Preez again goaled penalties.
Western Province had attacking moments as when Kolbe was tackled out near the corner by combined efforts of Travis Ismaiel and Burger Odendaal. Western Province later attacked from a line-out and were not far from the line and had advantage in their favour but Rynhardt Elstadt was penalised for charging, shoulder first, into Marvin Orie when the ball was on its way to the Western Province backs.
Nizaam Carr had a burst and, isolated, grubbered ahead but knocked on as he dived to secure the ball.
Half-time broke at 9-all.
Early in the second half Western Province knocked on and the Blue Bulls accepted the ball and Marcel van der Merwe burst downfield, tackled from behind by Groom. But Western Province were penalised and Schoeman made it 12-9 after 49 minutes.
The Blue Bulls had the ball in midfield but at a tackle Steven Kitshoff bent over and won a turnover. Western Province went left and getting close to touch with Kolbe outside of him Johnny Kotze grubbered. Kolbe ran after the bouncing ball as Jamba Ulengo covered and reached out for the ball. Kolbe put out a right hand and snatched the ball away and raced away for a try, which Du Preez converted. Western Province led 16-12, the first time in 52 minutes that they had enjoyed the lead. It stayed theirs.
Schoeman reduced the lead to 16-15 after 56 minutes and the Blue Bulls had five-metre line-out. But Elstadt got up to win the line-out and Western Province survived. It was the Blue Bulls' best chance to score a try in the match.
The Blue Bulls' hands let them down and Western Province kicked down towards the touchline on their right. Ismaiel got the ball but stepped into touch. Kolbe took it off him threw in quickly to Sikhumbuzo Notshe who was well infield. Notshe, tackled by Odendaal, played the ball back to Kurt Coleman who immediately sent a long pass to Jano Vermaak who raced over for the try. Coleman converted to give Western Province an eight-point lead with 8 minutes to play.
The Blue Bulls were chasing the game and were about to kick out when Western Province were penalised but changed their mind and goaled instead, in the knowledge that they in any case needed two scores to surpass eight points. 23-18 with five minutes to go.
The Blue Bulls attacked with zest but not finesse and the Western Province tackled immediately till Kitshoff won a turnover and the ball was given to Notshe who ran away with it and kicked it into the stand to bring on the final whistle
Man of the Match: We opted for Cheslin Kolbe. He was the spark without taking risks or being out of position. He kept Western Province going forward and, when all is said and done, he scored a try and set up the other.
Moment of the Match: When Cheslin Kobe scored Western Province's first try.
Villain of the Match: Nobody. In the heat of battle the players stayed players and gentlemen.
The scorers:
For the Blue Bulls:
Pens: Schoeman 6
For Western Province:
Tries: Kolbe, Vermaak
Cons: Du Preez 2
Pens: Du Preez 3
Yellow card: Pierre Schoeman (Blue Bulls, 23 – foul play, high tackle)
Teams:
Blue Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Pieter Labuschagne (captain), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Rudolph Snyman, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Ivan van Zyl, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 William Small-Smith.
Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Juan de Jongh (captain), 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Chris van Zyl, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Huw Jones.
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistant referees: Stuart Berry, Quinton Immelman
TMO: Christie du Preez
