Province run Griquas ragged

Griquas held a 13-3 lead after as many minutes, but half-an-hour later the home team had a commanding 31-13 advantage – two of the four WP tries going to Sevens star Werner Kok.

Enjoying some considerable leniency from the match officials, WP managed to hold off a number of serious raids on the tryline in the second half.

It was not untill the 50th minute that Cwengile Jadezweni's patience ran out and he reached for the picket to send Springbok prop Wilco Louw to the sin bin for foul play.

And it was only while the home team was down a man that Griquas scored their second try.

However, Province managed to turn up the head and just over 10 minutes later Griquas were down a man – Abraham le Roux sent to the sin bin for repeated infringements near his own goalline.

From the penalty and resulting maul the home team scored the try that ended the game as a contest.

The teams traded penalties early on, before the visitors scored the first try, with wing Ederies Arendse intercepting and racing away to score in the corner.

Western Province found themselves 3-13 down, but regrouped well and scored three unanswered tries to take a 24-13 lead into half-time.

Flank Cobus Wiese stretched to score from close range for the opening try, which was confirmed by the TMO and then converted from the touchline by Damian Willemse.

Hooker Chad Solomon was next to score from a powerful maul, before wing Werner Kok forced his way over in the same corner soon afterwards, with Willemse nailing both conversions from out wide.

Kok was first to score in the second half as he forced his way through the middle of the Griquas defence to score under the poles and secure the bonus point.

Western Province were reduced to 14 men when prop Wilco Louw was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle and Griquas took advantage as scrumhalf Renier Botha scrambled over for their second try.

The hosts struck back as some hard work from the forwards saw replacement hooker Dean Muir score from a maul with 15 minutes left.

Kok was at it again as he burst clear before giving up his hat-trick by handing the ball to debutante Johan du Toit just in front of a clear tryline.

Griquas got a third try as centre Tertius Kruger burst through, but Western Province hit back through replacement prop Caylib Oosthuizen who got over for two late tries to seal a comfortable win.

Man of the match: Griquas, as a collective, did some great work at times. Centre Tertius Kruger asked some serious questions with ball in hand and was rewarded with a try. WP Lock John Schickerling continues to grow and his workrate is absolutely phenomenal;. The Sevens trio of Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel (moved into the starting XV just hours before kick-off) and Werner Kok seemed to relish the presence of their fellow BlitzBoks. Of the three, the most productive was Werner Kok, who also gave up an opportunity of a hat-trick for himself to gift a try to a teammate. He wins our award.

The scorers:

For Western Province:

Tries: Wiese, Solomon, Kok 2, Muir, Du Toit, Oosthuizen 2

Cons: Willemse 4, Du Preez 2

Pens: Willemse

For Griquas:

Tries: Arendse, Botha, Kruger

Cons: Whitehead 2, Zana

Pens: Whitehead 2

Yellow card: Wilco Louw (Western Province. 50 – foul play, shoulder charge), Abraham le Roux (Griquas, 62 – repeated infringements, killing the ball)

Teams:

Western Province: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Werner Kok, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 John Schickerling, 4 Chris van Zyl (captain), 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Jacobus Janse van Rensburg.

Replacements: 16 Dean Muir, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Johan du Toit, 19 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 20 Justin Phillips, 21 Robert du Preez, 22 Dan Kriel.

Griquas: 15 Eric Zana, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Kyle Steyn, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Enver Brandt, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Renier Botha, 8 Kevin Kaba, 7 Sias Koen (Captain), 6 De Wet Kruger, 5 Sintu Manjezi, 4 Jonathan Janse Van Rensburg, 3 Nicolaas Oosthuizen, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Devon Martinus.

Replacements: 16 Abraham Le Roux, 17 Liam Hendricks, 18 Shaun McDonald, 19 Conway Pretorius, 20 Christiaan Meyer, 21 Christopher Bosch, 22 Adriaan Coertzen

Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni

Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Sinethemba Mrulwa

TMO: Joey Klaaste-Salmans