WP show their class

Western Province sent out an early warning to their Craven Week rivals, with an emphatic 49-15 win over a valiant Eastern Province side on Day 1 of the 2009 Craven Week in East London on Monday.

Western Province gave the crowd an early indication of the try-scoring spectacle that was follow, with a superb try from fullback Logan Solomons in the 8th minute.

Australian born Sam Lane – son of former Springbok assistant coach Tim Lane – made a good break into Eastern Province territory. The ball was recycled quickly and some slick handling fed Solomons, who had an easy run-in to open the scoring.

Western Province saw a lot of the ball and used it brilliantly. They made countless surges upfield, with some lovely offloads finding players running onto the ball at pace. Nizaam Carr – playing at eighthman with the No. 7 on his back – broke off the back of the scrum and fed flyhalf William Van Wyk, who snuck under a tackle to score.

The composure of the WP attack was in stark contrast to the day’s earlier games, and the rest of the half was an exhibition of free-running rugby by the youngsters from the Cape.

The forwards were dominant and provided clean ball to their electrifying backline. The handling was exemplary, the depth of the running superb and the timing of the passing continuously troubled the gallant Eastern Province defenders.

Van Wyk controlled his team’s attack well, and outside him Lane was fantastic playing as a second playmaker from the inside centre channel. The distribution and vision of these two allowed the dangerous outside backs – led by Solomons and powerhouse wing Zingisa Ndiki – to run riot. The half ended 31-10 in favour of Western Province with tries to Ndiki, hooker Garteh Topkin and Tygerberg forward Jody Reyneke.

To their great credit, Eastern Province refused to fold in the face of the WP onslaught, and tried their level best to make a game of it. They scored two tries in the first half through Kyle van Zyl and Dillon Hopshire, and came out fighting in the second.

They conceded a try through Carr, but continued to run at the WP defence. Hopshire was on hand to finish off a well-worked movement to score his second try. The youngster from Die Brandwag is blessed with some tremendous pace.

The try-count remained at one-a-piece for most of the second half until Ndiki secured his brace with a great finish in the closing moments. Van Wyk added two conversions, a drop-goal and a late penalty to end the match 49-15 in favour of Western Province.

Western Province proved that they will be one of the most feared teams at this year’s tournament and delighted a small but appreciative crowd with some scintillating play.Eastern Province were well-beaten, but can take a lot of heart from their courageous second half performance.

Scorers:

For WP:
Tries: Solomons, Van Wyk, Ndiki 2, Topkin, Reyneke, Carr
Cons: Van Wyk 4
Pens: Van Wyk
DG: Van Wyk

For EP:
Tries: Van Zyl, Hopshire 2

Squads:

Western Province: 15 Logan Solomons (Scottsdene), 14 Zingisa Ndiki (Wynberg Boys’ High), 13 Tshotsho Mbovane (Paul Roos Gymnasium), 12 JP du Plessis (Paul Roos Gymnasium), 11 JR Esterhuizen (Paarl Gymnasium), 10 William van Wyk (Paarl Gymnasium), 9 Rick Schroeder (Paul Roos Gymnasium, captain), 8 Christiaan Smith (Paarl Gymnasium), 7 Nizaam Carr (Bishops), 6 Heinrich Marcus (Excelsior), 5 Wilhelm van der Sluys (Paarl Boys’ High), 4 Eben Etzebeth (Tygerberg High), 3 Frans Malherbe (Paarl Boys’ High, vice captain), 2 Gareth Topkin (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 1 Adriaan Botha (Paarl Boys’ High), 16 Neil Rautenbach (Paarl Boys’ High), 17 Steven Kitshoff (Paul Roos Gymnasium), 18 Braam Steyn (Paul Roos Gymnasium), 19 Jodi Reyneke (Tygerberg High), 20 Jean Rossouw (Strand High), 21 Sam Lane (Bishops), 22 Craig Barry (Paul Roos Gymnasium)

Eastern Province: 15 Christiaan Schietekat (Framesby), 14 Dillon Hopshire (Die Brandwag), 13 Mbulelo Kama (Solomon Mhlanga), 12 Nicholas Holton (Grey), 11 Johan Louwrens (Daniël Pienaar), 10 Franz Botha (Die Brandwag), 9 Clinton Felix (Framesby), 8 Siya Kolisi (Grey), 7 Renier Erasmus Grey) (captain), 6 Edward van der Westhuizen (Nico Malan), 5 Rynier Bernardo (Framesby), 4 Louis Fourie (Pearson), 3 Phillip Nel (Otto du Plessis), 2 Michael van Vuuren (Grey), Emile Klaassen (Die Brandwag), 16 Ruan Roberts (Daniël Pienaar), 17 Asanda Modise (Newton), 18 Clinton Saunders (Pearson), 19 Heinrich Leonard (Die Brandwag), 20 Kyle van Zyl (Nico Malan), 21 Luxolo Daku (Victoria Park), 22 Duane Adams (Despatch).

Date: Monday, July 13
Venue: Border Rugby Union Stadium, East London
Kick-off: 12.45 (10.45 GMT)
Referee: Ben Crouse

By Tim Human