WP, Natal in Currie Cup Finals

Western Province and the Sharks, a.k.a. Natal, have met six times in Finals of the Currie Cup. Western Province have won four times, the Sharks twice.

They have met four times at Kings Park, twice at Newlands.

The first occasion was in 1984 – a surprise affair. The sixth time was at Kings Park last year – also a surprise affair.

Western Province vs the Sharks in Finals

1984: Western Province vs Natal, 19-9 at Newlands

1995: Natal vs Western Province, 25-17 in Durban

2000: Western Province vs Natal Sharks, 25-15 in Durban

2001: Western Province vs Natal Sharks, 29-24 at Newlands

2010: Sharks vs Western Province, 30-10 in Durban

2012: Western Province vs Sharks, 25-18 in Durban

1. 1984: Western Province vs Natal

That Natal was there at all was a massive surprise. They were not supposed to be there.

The Currie Cup system is subject to regular change. The authorities love tinkering with it. No matter how successful it is, tinkering is such fun.

That year, as now, there were two sections based on strength but at least the B Section had a chance of competing for the Currie Cup. Natal topped the B Section and then lost their promotion-relegation match to Northern Free State, which meant that they would be in the B Section again in 1985 unless there was tinkering with the system. The week after losing to Northern Free State, they played Free State, who had come second in the A Section after thrashing Northern Transvaal 29-7, in Durban in a semifinal. The Free Staters sauntered down and got a 26-15 drubbing.

So sure were people of a Free State victory that the visitors' allotment of tickets had been sent up to Bloemfontein and had then to be rushed to Durban.

Western Province were the team of the 1980s as Natal were the team of the 1990s. They were expected to give the visitors a thrashing but Wynand Claassen's men had other ideas and they had the better of the first half, ending it 9-3 up and actually could have been further ahead had Derek le Marque not knocked on at the line. But the second half belonged to Western Province, set on top by a try by fullback Calla Scholtz.

Scorers:

For Western Province:

Tries: Scholtz, Burger, Louw

Cons: Scholtz 2

Pen: Scholtz

For Natal

Drops: Visagie 2

Pen: Reece-Edwards

Teams:

Western Province: Calla Scholtz, Bertie de Wet, Goggie van Heerden (Robbie Blair), Carel du Plessis, Niel Burger, Michael du Plessis, Divan Serfontein (captain), Nick Mallett, Kulu Ferreira, Rob Louw, Schalk Burger, Hennie Bekker, Attie Strauss, Shaun Povey, Bill Nieuwoudt

Natal: Hugh Reece-Edwards, Des McLean, Greg Hamilton, Ronnie Haarhoff, Cobus Aucamp, Gawie Visagie, Craig Jamieson, Wynand Claassen (captain), Derek le Marque, Peter Edmunds, Chris Faure, André Botha, Murray Dawson, Rob Hankinson, Graham Downes.

Referee: Cassie Carstens

2. 1995: Natal vs Western Province

The rain fell and the wind blew. Natal nullified Western Province's scrum power and could well have won by more. Frenchman Thierry Lacroix dictated matter with his boot and his compatriot Olivier Roumat was a power in the pack. Lacroix scored  six penalty goals, still a Currie Cup record for a haul of 20 points

The sides scored a try each.

Both sides were loaded with international players.

Scorers:

For Natal:

Try: Van der Westhuizen

Con: Lacroix

Pens: Lacroix 6

For Western Province:

Try: Strauss

Pens: Stransky 4

Teams:

Natal: André Joubert, Cabous van der Westhuizen, Jeremy Thomson (Joos Joubert), Henry Honiball, James Small, Thierry Lacroix, Kevin Putt, Gary Teichmann (captain), Wickus van Heerden, Wayne Fyvie, Olivier Roumat, Mark Andrew, Adrian Garvey, John Allan, Robbie Kempson (Ollie le Roux)

Western Province: Pieter Rossouw, Chester Williams, Christian Stewart, Tinus Linee, Justin Swart, Joel Stransky, Michael Kirsten, Tiaan Strauss (captain) (Robbie Brink – temp), Fritz van Heerden, Laurent Cabannes, FC Smit, Louis Blom, Tommie Laubscher, Mornay Visser, Toks van der Linde.

Referee: Tappe Henning

3.  Western Province vs Natal Sharks

There was again a new system -two sections of seven with the top four in each playing by themselves, two semifinals and a Final. There were occasions when the Springboks could play.

Western Province were the team with the ideas and scored three tries to nil to deserve their victory. The Sharks bashed to no avail against a strong defence.

Scorers:

For Western Province:

Tries: Paulse 2, Pieter Rossouw

Coins: Van Straaten 2

Pens: Van Straaten 2

For Natal Sharks:

Pens: Du Toit 5

Teams:

Western Province: Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck, Braam van Straaten, Pieter Rossouw,  Chris Rossouw (De Wet Barry), Dan van Zyl, Adri Badenhorst, Hendrik Gerber (Robbie Brink), Hottie Louw (Thys Stoltz), Quinton Davids, Robbie Kempson (Faan Rautenbach), Charl Marais (Pieter Dixon), Toks van der Linde

Natal Sharks: Gaffie du Toit, Deon Kayser, Stefan Terblanche, Trevor Halstead, Stephen Brink (Rodger Smith), Butch James, Craig Davidson, Shaun Sowerby (Charl van Rensburg), AJ Venter, Warren Brosnihan, Mark Andrews, Albert van den Berg, Etienne Fynn (Brent Moyle), Chris Rossouw (John Smit), Ollie le Roux

Referee: André Watson

4. 2001: Western Province vs Natal Sharks

Western Province came from behind to beat the Natal Sharks though the visitors to Newlands scored three tries to two. (The match was at Newlands on the old system of rotating and Natal had had the 2000 Final.)

Braam van Straaten equalled Naas Botha's record of 24 points in a Final.

Scorers:

For Western Province:

Tries: Chris Rossouw, Van Straaten

Cons: Van Straaten 2

Pens: Van Straaten 5

For Natal Sharks:

Tries: Smit, Du Toit, Van Rensburg

Cons: Du Toit 2, Kruger

Pen: Du Toit

Teams:

Western Province: Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, De Wet Barry, Braam van Straaten, Pieter Rossouw, Chris Rossouw (Werner Greeff), Neil de Kock (Bolla Conradie). Bob Skinstad, Hendrik Gerber; Corné Krige, Hottie Louw, Quinton Davids (Thys Stoltz), Cobus Visagie (Toks van der Linde), Charl Marais (Pieter Dixon), Robbie Kempson (Cobus Visagie)

Natal Sharks: Justin Swart (Herkie Kruger), Deon Kayser, André Snyman (Rodger Smith), Trevor Halstead, Stefan Terblanche, Gaffie du Toit, Craig Davidson (David von Hoesslin), Shaun Sowerby, AJ Venter, Warren Britz, Philip Smit, Albert van den Berg, Etienne Fynn (Deon Carstens), John Smit (Lukas van Biljon – temp), Ollie le Roux (Lukas van Biljon).

Referee: André Watson

5. Sharks vs Western Province

It was the 50th Currie Cup Finals and there was only one side in it as the Sharks thrashed Western Province as their forwards and halfbacks took control. In it a new star was born – 20-year-old Patrick Lambie.

Scorers:

For Sharks:

Tries: Lambie 2, McLeod

Coins: Lambie 3

Pens: Lambie 3

For Western Province:

Try: Burger

Con: De Waal

Pen: De Waal

Teams

Sharks: Louis Ludik (André Pretorius), Odwa Ndungane, Stefan Terblanche (captain), Andries Strauss (Rian Swanepoel), Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Charl McLeod (Rory Kockott), Ryan Kankowski, Willem Alberts, Keegan Daniel, Alistair Hargreaves (Jacques Botes), Steven Sykes (Anton Bresler), Jannie du Plessis (Eugene van Staden), Bismarck du Plessis (Craig Burden), Tendai Mtawarira

Western Province: Conrad Jantjes, Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh (Paul Bosch, Lionel Cronje), Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Willem de Waal, Enrico Januarie (Dewaldt Duvenage), Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger (captain),Anton van Zyl, Adriaan Fondse (De Kock Steenkamp), Brok Harris, Deon Fourie, JD Moller (JC Kritzinger)

Referee: Craig Joubert

6. Western Province vs Sharks

There was a new system yet again. This time there were six teams in the Currie Cup proper and the Sharks were the strongest side, well clear of the Golden Lions in this place, but Western Province beat the Golden Lions at Ellis Park and then went off to Kings Park for the final.

As young Pat Lambie had been the star of the previous Final, so young Dimitri Catrakelis was the star of this one. And most memorably there was Juan de Jongh's el;ectric try.

Scorers:

For Western Province:

Try: De Jongh

Con: Catrakelis

Pens: Catrakelis 3, Pietersen

For the Sharks:

Pens: Lambie 6

Teams:

Western Province: Gio Aplon, Gerhard van den Heever, Juan de Jongh, Damian de Allende., Bryan Habana (Joe Pietersen), Dimitri Catrakelis, Nic Groom (Louis Schreuder), Duane Vermeulen, Don Armand (Jebb Sinclair), Deon Fourie (captain), De Kock Steenkamp. Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe (Brok Harris), Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff (Deon Carstens)

Sharks: Louis Ludik, JP Pietersen, Paul Jordaan, Tim Whitehead (Meyer Bosman), Lwazi Mvovo (Odwa Ndungane), Patrick Lambie, Kobus Reinach (Charl McLeod), Keegan Daniel (captain), Willem Alberts (Jean Deysel), Marcel Coetzee, Anton Bresler, Steven Sykes (Jandré Marais), Jannie du Plessis (Wiehahn Herbst), Craig Burden (Kyle Cooper), Tendai Mtawarira

Referee: Jaco Peyper