Classy WP make it two from two
Western Province showed they mean business at the 2010 Craven Week in Welkom, after romping to a 58-19 victory over the giant-killing Eastern Province team on Wednesday.
The Cape side held a 18-5 half-time lead after winger Devon Williams and fullback Craig Barry scored two fantastic tries before the break. Williams converted Barry’s five-pointer and also kicked two penalties during the first half.
Prop Marzuq Maarman dived in at the corner to score Eastern Province’s first points in the match before the half-time hooter… and before WP took over and upped the tempo in the second half.
Paul Roos’s Barry then scored his second try of the game minutes after the break, with Williams converting his try to steer Western Province to a 25-5 lead.
Soon after Barry crossed the tryline, it was impressive flanker Sikumbuzo Notshe’s turn to add his name to the try-scoring sheet to make it 30-5 on the scoreboard. (The Wynberg Boys’ High School pupil’s five-pointer was also converted by Williams.)
Province continued to pile the pressure on EP and immediately after the kick-off, Williams ran in to scored his second try of the match – making it 37-5.
In the 52nd minute of the game, EP captain and No.8 Jacobus Swart crashed his way over the tryline and fullback Cleavan Laporte converted to narrow the scoreline to 12-37.
However, eight minutes later WP flanker Marvin Orie scored WP’s fifth try of the match. Williams converted the five-pointer to steer the Cape side to a 44-12 lead and Western Province scored two further tries before the end to open the gap even more.
Barry, who walked away with the Coca-Cola Man of the Match Award, and winger Heinrich Arendse scored WP’s seventh and eighth tries, respectively. Both five-pointers were converted by Williams who ended the game with a haul of 28 points.
EP though were the final side to score points when fullback Duane Adams scored his side’s third try of the match, which was converted by Laporte (58-19), but it was too little too late for the Men in Red & Black.
Western Province, who beat the Lions in Day One action on Monday, are the defending Craven Week champions after winning last year’s ‘final’ match in East London – and, based on the form they showed today, they could well repeat that showing.
The scorers:
For Western Province:
Tries: Heinrich Arendse, Craig Barry 3, Sikumbuzo Notshe, Marvin Orie, Devon Williams 2
Cons: Devon Williams 6
Pens: Devon Williams 2
For Eastern Province:
Tries: Marquz Maarman, Jacobus Swart, Duane Adams
Cons: Cleavon Laporte 2
The teams:
Western Province: 15 Craig Barry (Paul Roos), 14 JP Lewis (Paul Roos), 13 Tshotsho Mbovane (Paul Roos), 12 Koos van Wyk (Paarl Gim), 11 Heinrich Arendse (Scotsdene), 10 Gavin Hauptfleisch (Paarl Boys’ High), 9 Gerhard Jordaan (Boland Landbou), 8 Cobus Smith (Paarl Gim), 7 Sikumbuzo Notshe (Wynberg), 6 Beyers de Villiers (Paarl Boys’ High), 5 Braam Steyn (Paul Roos), 4 Rayn Smidt (Rondbosch), 3 Namakwa van Dyk (Paarl Boys’ High), 2 Stephanus Coetzee (Paarl Boys’ High – captain), 1 Steven Kitshoff (Paul Roos), 16 Jandre Conradie (Paarl Gim), 17 Tshepo Motali (Bishops), 18 Marvin Orie (Tygerberg), 19 Andreas Dercksen (Paul Roos), 20 Chelsin Kolbe (Brackenfell), 21 Errol Jaggers (Paul Roos), 22 Devon Williams (Paarl Boys’ High).
Eastern Province: Duane Adams (Despatch), Zuko Ndlela (Grey), Rosseau Prinsloo (Nico Malan), Shane Gates (Muir), Voughan Casling (Grey), Franz Botha (Die Brandwag), Francois Grobler (Framesby), Jacobus Swart (Grey – captain), Xolani Mate (Newton), Justin Benn (Daniël Pienaar), Lourens du Toit (Framesby), John Groenewald (Nico Malan), Asanda Modise (Newton), Jason Thomas (Muir), Brenden Olivier (Nico Malan), Marquz Maarman (Muir), Arno Ebersohn (Framesby), Stephan Zaaiman (Framesby), Jaco Barnardo (Framesby), Clinton Felix (Framesby), Llewellyn Pieterse (Die Brandwag), Cleavon Laporte (Newton).
Fixture(s) to follow later today:
3.30pm: Boland v Griffons
