WP survive Griffons fightback in Welkom
CURRIE CUP REPORT: Western Province survived a second-half fightback by the Griffons to record a valuable 25-21 bonus-point win in Welkom.
The visitors outscored their opponents by four tries to three on their way to a thrilling victory.
WP had a comfortable 25-0 lead heading into the last quarter, but the home side showed plenty of character to ensure a tense finish.
The win moves WP back into the top four in the standings.
After both teams failed to make use of try-scoring opportunities, the first points of the game eventually came in the 22nd minute via a Clayton Blommetjies penalty.
The Capetonians continued to apply pressure in the Griffons’ half and they were rewarded when flank Jarrod Taylor crashed over from close range.
The visitors also rubbed salt into the home side’s wounds just before half-time when hooker Andre-Hugo Venter pounced on a loose ball before running in for his team’s second try.
At half-time, WP had a 13-0 lead.
WP made things comfortable for themselves with tries from Jean-Luc du Plessis and Thomas Bursey in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
Fullback Clayton Blommetjies also managed to convert one of those tries from the kicking tee.
WP were then reduced to 14 men in the 58th minute when Kwenzo Blose was yellow carded for repeated infringements and soon after that the Griffons finally got some points when Domenic Smit was put into space out wide to score a try. Juries added the extras with the conversion.
The home side continued to stay in the fight and they turned the game on its head when they scored two tries in quick succession.
First it was Carel-Jan Coetzee who powered his way over the tryline and then Hendrik van Schoor found his way to the tryline after a powerful driving maul.
Juries converted both tries and the Griffons were just four points behind with less than nine minutes on the clock.
However, the visitors managed to keep the Griffons out in the closing stages to hang on for a valuable win.
Man of the match: The award goes to WP scrumhalf Thomas Bursey, who was a livewire around the rucks and he scored a great try as well.
The scorers:
For Griffons:
Tries: Smit, Coetzee, Van Schoor
Cons: Juries 3
For Western Province:
Tries: Taylor, Venter, Du Plessis, Bursey
Con: Blommetjies
Pen: Blommetjies
Teams
Griffons: 15 Duren Hoffman, 14 Granwill Matthys, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Jandre de Beer, 11 Domenic Smit, 10 Duan Pretorius, 9 Jaywinn Juries , 8 Sokuphumla Xakalashe, 7 Thomas Ongera, 6 Thato Mavundla, 5 Michael Benadie, 4 Rian Olivier, 3 Doctor Booysen, 2 Dandre Delport, 1 Stephan de Jager.
Replacements – from: 16 Hendrik van Schoor, 17 Xolani Jacobs, 18 Buhle Nojekwa, 19 Wikus Nieuwenhuis, 20 Curtly Thomas, 21 Jean Pretorius, 22 Keanu Vers, 23 Randy Fielies, 24 Jared Kruger, 25 Calla Pienaar, 26 Richman Gora, 27 Allistair Mumba, 28 Ethan Williams, 29 Robbie Petzer, 30 Bennie Human.
Western Province: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Luke Burger, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis (captain), 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Louw Nel, 7 Jarrod Taylor, 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Adre Smith, 4 Patric Kitete, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Kwenzo Blose.
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Andre Goedhals, 20 Louwan Horn, 21 Labib Kannemeyer, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Tom Nel.
Referee: Aime Barrett Theron
Assistant referees: Diffie de Villiers, Maria Mabote
