WP far too Good

At half-time Western Province led 43-0, which became 57-0 after 9 minutes of the second half.

Western Province then took off four players who played SA Schools last year – Salmaan Moerat, Damian Willemse, Manny Rass and Khanya Ncusane. After that they looked far more ordinary and KwaZulu Natal won the last 23 minutes 5-3.

The player most missed was Willemse, playmaker extraordinaire. Where Western Province had passed accurately at waist high and in front of the receiver, their hands now became far less accurate and sympathetic.

But other aspects of their game, like line-outs, became messy, they lost turnovers and they conceded more penalties than their opponents, many more in this period. In fact it looked as if they had been bitten by a swarm tsetse flies – not really, but they were less sharp and energetic than before.

Both hookers had been loose forwards on Day 1 – Dylan Richardson and Liam Larkan, and each of them was a star in his side. Larkan scored two tries and in that last period of play Richardson was immense, the one player on the field who seemed tireless.

KwaZulu Natal kicked off but Western Province kicked high, KwaZulu Natal knocked on and Western Province grabbed the chance to attack.

At the first scrum of the match Western Province won a tighthead on the left and Carstens kicked a long diagonal that rolled into the KwaZulu Natal in-goal where Mike Mavovana dived for the ball but knocked it on. The first line-out was on the Western Province's right. They won it and went left and flank Muller Uys cut clean through to run 23 metres to score. 7-0 after just 3 minutes.

KwaZulu Natal played the ball wide, left and right, but they were met by firm defence and did not get even close to the Western Province 22. In fact the only way they did get into the 22 was by way of a kick. They kicked a great deal.

From a line-out on their left Western Province went wide right. Gianni Lombard came into the line and gave a perfect pass to Mavovana who ran some 23 metres to score. 12-0 after 7 minutes.

Two line-outs, two tries,

Larkan won a turnover at a tackle in the Western Province half and scooted down the right touchline. The defence were heading for him and he grubbered a long way ahead and into the KwaZulu Natal in-goal where Rass dived on the ball and the TMO confirmed that he had scored. 19-0 after 10 minutes.

Western Province won a KwaZulu Natal line-out. Carstens kicked a box kick and Western Province won the ball. Mavovana was tackled just short and passed backwards. Big Reece Bezuidenhout burst over the line but a knock-on had been detected before the ball got to him.

Western Province won the scrum on their right and the ball went wide left where Rass beat his man on the outside and sent Muller du Plessis over in the left corner. 26-0 after 16 minutes.

KwaZulu Natal had a player sent to the sin bin for going into a player on the ground with a sharp shoulder. The same happened to a Western Province player when KwaZulu Natal scored their try.

A penalty gave Western Province a line-out. Larkan popped the ball to Moerat at the front and the big man gave it back to Larkan who raced over for a try in the corner. 31-0 after 25 minutes.

Two minutes later KwaZulu Natal were passing the ball in their own half when Larkan intercepted a lobbed pass and ran 40 metres to the posts, beating a defender en route. 38-0.

At 32 minutes KwaZulu Natal got to the Western Province 22 for the first time in the match but their handling let them down. Instead Western Province came within an ace of scoring at the other end when Du Plessis sped on a long run but was dispossessed over the goal-line. But Western Province kept attacking and after several passes, great handling, Moerat passed to Du Plessis who fell over for the try. 43-0.

That was the half-time score.

A huge victory was in the offing but credit to KwaZulu Natal – they dug in with determination – and a huge Richardson effort.

But not before Western Province got to 50. They won a turnover and attacked. Willemse gave a short inside pass to Moerat who scored the try which Lombard converted.

Soon afterwards KwaZulu Natal kicked and Lombard countered at great speed on a long run. From a scrum on Western Province's right they went wide left and came back for Carstens, who had an excellent game, to score. 57-0 after 44 minutes.

Two penalties set KwaZulu Natal attacking. They tapped the second one and raced at the line, Marthinus Holtzhausen, head bandaged, scored the try. 57-5 after 47 minutes.

There was only one further score in the next 23 minutes as play slowed down, Western Province passed poorly, several of them bounce passes and Richardson tried so hard.

Leading 57-5 Western Province kicked a penalty at goal to make the score 60-5 with 10 minutes to play.

After the match there was talk about who would play Western Province in the final match!

Scorers

For Western Province:

Tries: Deon Carstens, Liam Larkan 2, Manuel Rass, Mike Mavovana, Muller Du Plessis 2, Muller Uys, Salmaan Moerat          

Cons:  Gianni Lombard 6

Penalty Gianni Lombard

For KwaZulu Natal:

Try: Marthinus Holtzhausen

Teams

Western Province: 15 Gianni Lombard, 14 Mike Mavovana, 13 Labelo Scott, 12 Manuel Rass, 11 Muller du Plessis, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Deon Carstens, 8 Khanya Ncusane, 7 Muller Uys, 6 Athi Magwala, 5 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 4 Ben-Jason Dixon, 3 Johan Neethling, 2 Liam Larkan, 1 Reece Bezuidenhout

Replacements: 16 Daniel Jooste, 17 André Booysen, 18 Tristan Leitch, 19 Jessie Johnson, 20 Charl Serdyn, 21 Vusile Dlepu, 22 Wian van Niekerk, 23 Quan Eymann

KwaZulu Natal: 15 Malakiwe Zondeki, 14 Onke Jiba, 13 Marthinus Holtzhausen, 12 Mayibongwe Maduna, 11 Gideon Lubbe, 10 Cameron Ritchie, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 James Miller, 7 Jared Meyer (captain, )6 Austin Brummer, 5 JJ van der Mescht, 4 Dylan Weideman, 3 Calvin Zandamela, 2 Dylan Richardson, 1 Quitin Vorster

Replacements: 16 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 17 Gugu Nelani, 18 Reinier van Rooyen, 19 Luke Crowshaw, 20 Phendulani Buthelezi, 21 Sibona Dubazane, 22 Tonderai Ndudzo, 23 Angus Curtis

Referee: Lourens van der Merwe

Assistant referees: Jaco Pretorius, Sindile Ngcese

Television match official: Joey Klaaste-Salmans

Results So Far

Craven Week

Results, Day 3

Boland vs Eastern Province, 38-30

Griffons vs Griquas Country Districts, 34-32

Griquas vs Zimbabwe, 78-0

Pumas vs Namibia, 51-15

Western Province vs KwaZulu Natal, 60-5

Results, Day 1

KwaZulu Natal vs Eastern Province, 36-22

Namibia vs Griqualand West, 54-36

Pumas vs Griffons, 31-29

Western Province vs Boland, 41-20

Zimbabwe vs Griqualand West Country Districts, 16-9

Academy Week

Results, Day 3

Blue Valke vs Griquas Country Districts, 36-24

KwaZulu Natal vs Border, 40-25

Pumas vs Griffons, 36-17

SA LSEN Griffons Country Districts vs SA LSEN, 38-26

South Western Districts vs Eastern Province Country Districts, 30-15

Western Province vs Golden Lions, 31-29

Results, Day 1

Border vs Griquas Country Districts, 28-13

Golden Lions vs Pumas, 30-11

Griffons Country Districts vs Eastern Province Country Districts, 19-15

KwaZulu Natal vs Griffons, 47-44

SA LSEN vs Blue Valke, 15-8

Western Province vs South Western Districts, 47-0