Province punish arrogant Lions

CURRIE CUP REPORT: Western Province looks a good bet to retain their title, after the ease with which they dispatched the Golden Lions on Saturday.

WP outscored their hosts, the Lions, 65-38 in a 14-try feast at Ellis Park.

The game was over as a contest before the half-hour mark, Province leading 39-10 at the break.

The Lions, as they were in Super Rugby, were naively arrogant in their approach to the game.

Without a sound base from which to launch their attacks, they recklessly threw the ball around – expecting the same sloppy defence they experienced against the minnows in the earlier rounds.

Province gleefully pounced on the litany of errors the home team made, exposing the Lions porous – almost non existent – defence.

It was all-action from start to finish as the defending Currie Cup champions cut loose on their way to their third straight win this season.

Western Province scored five tries in a sensational first half performance which saw them take a commanding 39-10 lead into the break.

They got started early on as No.8 Juarno Agustus ran the ball back forcefully before getting it away to centre Ruhan Nel who managed to put fullback Dillyn Leyds over for the opening try.

Sarel Marais made it 10-0 with a penalty before the home side hit back with a try of their own from flank James Venter.

Western Province responded with another Leyds try as the fleet-footed fullback put on some footwork to score after getting a backhanded pass from Sergeal Petersen, with that man Augustus featuring in the build-up once more.

The Golden Lions then kicked a penalty via flyhalf Shaun Reynolds, but those were to be their last points of the first half, as Western Province ran in a further three unanswered tries.

First it was Petersen turning defence into attack as he grabbed an intercept in the 22 to race away and score.

The bonus point was wrapped up before the half-hour, with hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni sparking it with a miracle pass over his head which found speedy scrumhalf replacement Paul de Wet who was brought down just before the tryline but got it away to flyhalf Josh Stander.

Stander was key to the next try as his pinpoint cross-kick found Marais out wide and the wing was able to stroll over for the try to give them a 29-point advantage at half-time.

The Golden Lions were awarded a penalty try 10 minutes into the second half, with Ernst van Rhyn shown a yellow card for deliberately infringing, which left Western Province with only 14 men for 10 minutes.

However, Western Province were next to score as a break from John Schickerling took them close before Augustus showed his power from close range to score out wide.

Schickerling got on the scoresheet himself soon afterwards as he broke through the defensive line to go over for the seventh try, but the Golden Lions hit back with a try of their own from another driving maul to make it 51-24.

Golden Lions No.8 Hacjivah Dayimani secured the bonus point for his team shortly after that, but Western Province responded as some great handling saw Petersen score his second in the corner.

Another flowing movement saw Dan du Plessis cross for the ninth try, before the home side had the final say with a try from flank Len Massyn, but it was not enough to avoid a heavy defeat.

Man of the match: All the candidates came from the visitors. Ruhan Nel was skilful, Dan Kriel powerful, Josh Stander creative, Juarno Augustus again showing his undoubted talent, John Schickerling a tower of strength, Chris van Zyl the peerless leader and Siyabonga Ntubeni showed his playing days are far from over. Dillyn Leyds and Sergeal Petersen scored two tries each and share our award.

The scorers:

For the Lions:
Tries: Venter, Penalty try, Jansen, Dayimani, Massyn
Cons: Reynolds 4, penalty try does not require a conversion
Pen: Reynolds

For Western Province:
Tries: Leyds 2, Petersen 2, Stander, Marais, Augustus, Schickerling, Du Plessis
Cons: Marais 7
Pens: Marais 2

Yellow card: Ernst van Rhyn (Western Province, 53 – cynical foul, collapsing maul near tryline)

* PODCAST: Listen to the @rugby365com team as they analyse the weekend’s games …

Teams:

Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Shaun Reynolds, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Len Massyn, 6 James Venter, 5 Marvin Orie (captain), 4 Rhyno Herbst, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Corne Fourie, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Johannes Jonker, 18 Reinhard Nothnagel, 19 Driaan Bester, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Gianni Lombard, 22 Wandisile Simelane.

Western Province: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 SP Marais, 10 Josh Stander, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Kobus van Dyk, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Chris van Zyl (captain), 3 Michael Kumbirai, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Chris Massyn, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Dan du Plessis.

Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Stephan Geldenhuys, Griffin Colby
TMO: Willie Vos