WP take Craven Week honours
Western Province met the Golden Lions in the prestigious last match at the 2013 Craven Week, since 1971 the match which has, unofficially, decided the best side at the Craven Week. Western Province won 45-29.
In fact in the first half it seemed that they were going to run away with the match as they led 23-0 at the break and were untroubled by anything that the Golden Lions did. But the Golden Lions showed pride and steel as they came back strongly in the second half, scoring 29 points.
But Western Province seemed to have the ability to keep nudging ahead. Where the Golden Lions tended to play a great deal with one-pass phases and lots of charging, Western Province was happier to play wide and set their speedsters running.
Western Province were on top from the start and two penalties from the excellent boot of right wing Grant Hermanus gave them a 6-0 lead after 13 minutes.
A penalty gave them a line-out and they got a maul driving at the Golden Lions line. The Golden Lions were penalised five metres from their line and burly Western Province prop Thomas du Toit tapped and through a bundle of defenders managed to score. Hermanus converted. 13-0 after21 minutes.
The Golden Lions were in front of the kickoff which gave Western Province a scrum in the middle of the half-way line. From it they went right and centre Jarryd Sage broke on the outside. He raced down the right touchline and then played inside to Hermanus. Covering scrumhalf Johan Esterhuizen felled Hermanus but the wing popped the ball to scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies who scored. 20-0 after 24 minutes.
Just after this Western Province hooker Daniel du Plessis was tackled in a charge and was taken off on a stretcher to an ambulance and to hospital. He was clearly in distress but it seemed that no bone was broken.
The Golden Lions were penalised for recklessness at a maul and Hermanus goaled the long kick. 23-0 after 34 minutes, the half-time score.
In the very first minute of the second half big, fast right wing S'busiso Nkosi had a strong run. Captain Dylan Vlok was close and then the Golden Lions went left and Erwin Harris had an overlap to score. Harris converted. 23-7 after 36 minutes.
The Golden Lions kicked downfield and Hermanus skated a long way on counterattack, from well inside his own half to close to the Golden Lions line, Western Province bashed and Jacques Vermeulen was over in the left corner. Hermanus converted splendidly. 30-7 after 40 minutes.
The Golden Lions attacked but lost the ball to a turnover and then flyhalf Innocent Radebe broke and sped towards the Western Province line but one of his support players lost the ball forward. Radebe is a splendid player of vision, skill and intuition. His omission from the SA Schools side is something of a surprise.
Radebe broke again near the half-way line and played inside to big hooker Emmanuel Morowane. He in turn gave to Esterhuizen who stepped inside a covering player to get over under the posts. 30-14 after 48 minutes, and the Golden Lions's spirits clearly rose. Penalties boosted the spirits and a penalty goal by Harris took the score to 30-17 with 18 minutes to play. Western Province at this stage were making errors.
The Golden Lions attacked but Western Province ran out of trouble and again Hermanus goaled a penalty. 33-17. This was followed by a splendid period of thrust and counterthrust as Western Province attacked but knocked on and the Golden Lions ran out of defence but then Western Province ran out of troiuble. Daniel du Plessis grabbed a loose ball and forged ahead. He was blocked of a chance to pass and was being tackled but the big centre kicked downfield. Dewald Naudé hooted the ball and then at speed and under pressure he brilliantly gathered the ball to score the try. 38-17 with 61 minutes to play.
At this stage Western Province sent on their substitutes, happy in their belief that they would win but still the Golden Lions played. Vlok burst ahead on a run. Western Province were penalised and the Golden Lions tapped. With cunning footwork and remarkable strength slender Radebe got through four defenders to score. 38-22 with 13 minutes left.
Then for the only time in the match the Golden Lions: backs combined to get the ball to Nkosi on the wing and the big man, the touchline close on his right, carved through three defenders to score in the corner. 38-29 with 10 minutes to play.
Ecrus van der Walt and Erick Fourie set the Golden Lions attacking but again Western Province broke out and got close on the attack when Du Plessis bounced three defenders out of his way, squeezing over for a try. Hermanus converted, the final whistle went and lots of blue and white hugging broke out.
Man of the Match: Grant Hermanus
Scorers:
For Western Province:
Tries: Du Plessis, Jantjies, Naude, Vermeulen, Du Toit
Cons: Hermanus 4
Pens: Hermanus 4
For Golden Lions:
Tries: Harris, Esterhuizen, Nkosi, Radebe
Cons: Harris 2, Radebe
Pen: Harris
Teams
Western Province: 15 Heinrich Buhr, 14 Grant Hermanus, 13 Jarryd Sage, 12 Daniel du Plessis, 11 Dewald Naude, 10 Dennis Cox, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Petrus Bothma (Captain), 7 Johannes Vermeulen, 6 Charlton Jonas, 5 Johannes Momsen, 4 Cornelis van Niekerk, 3 Francois van der Merwe, 2 Daniel du Plessis, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Replacements: 16 Rudolf Brits, 17 Gavin van den Berg, 18 Brett Paulse, 19 Saud Abrahams, 20 Damian Stevens, 21 Siyamthanda Alam, 22 Dante van der Merwe
Golden Lions: 15 Erwin Harris, 14 S'busiso Nkosi, 13 Fernando Kermis, 12 Gerdus van der Walt, 11 Jshegofatso Ramaboea, 10 Innocent Radebe, 9 Johan Esterhuizen, 8 Devon Henson, 7 Dylan Vlok (captain), 6 Dwayne Pienaar, 5 Nyasha David Tarusenga, 4 Rhyno Herbst, 3 Gunther Janse van Vuuren, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Andrew Acton.
Replacements: 16 Emmanuel Morowane, 17 Cornelius Greeff, 18 Roan Grobbelaar, 19 Reynard Schindehutte, 20 Brandan Rieck, 21 Erick Fourie, 22 Sbusiso Dlamini
Referee: Lihan Pretorius
Assistant referees: Jaco Kotze, Attie Buitendag
Television match official: Johan Greef
