WP back in the race after scrappy home win

MATCH REPORT: Western Province put their Currie Cup campaign firmly back on track with a 39-17 Round Five win over the Griffons in Cape Town on Saturday.

The five-tries-to-two win saw Province move into fifth place in the standings.

Despite their superior forward power, WP wasted a host of chances with their sloppy play.

The Griffons’ poor discipline – 19 penalties and a yellow card – also cost the visitors dearly.

Neither team will be proud of their defence – with a 70 percent success rate, and 82 missed tackles (36 by WP and 46 by the Griffons) contributing to the poor quality of the match.

There were almost 40 turnovers in the match.

* To recap all the action, CLICK HERE!

Western Province opened the scoring with a Clayton Blommetjies penalty in the fifth minute.

Almost from the restart, Qamani Kota received a gift, as he collected a loose pass and ran through untouched. Kota added the conversion and a penalty five minutes later, as the visitors took a surprising lead.

Clayton Blommetjies, looking for opportunities, eventually saw a huge gap and went on the counter before an inside pass put scrumhalf Imad Khan over. Blommetjies added the conversion to level the scores – 10-all.

Just past the 20-minute mark, a WP line-out five metres out saw Paul de Villiers come around on the loop and go over between two tacklers. Blommetjies added the conversion – 17-10.

The Pumas hit back with a sublime try by Gurshwin Wehr, the Griffons exposing WP’s rush defence down the blindside. Kota’s conversion levelled the scores at 17-all on the half-hour mark.

The home team reclaimed the lead in the 35th minute – a couple of forward raids and a sloppy pass, but a fortunate bounce, allowing Damian Markus to scramble over.

The conversion attempt was wide, but from the restart, Markus ran onto a well-timed pass and sprinted half the field for his second try. This time Blommetjies slotted the conversion – 29-17.

Province launched a few more raids and came close twice, both times losing the ball over the line – leaving the scores unchanged.

It was a scrappy start to the second half, with a scrum penalty in the 57th minute – slotted by Blommetjies – the first points after the break.

Just short of the hour mark Imad Khan charged down an attempted kick by Griffons flyhalf Dewald Human. Khan chased and scored, also adding the conversion – 39-17.

The Griffons were reduced to 14 men in the 63rd minute – wing Gurshwin Wehr yellow yellow-carded for cynically slapping the ball away.

It then descended into a scrappy mess, as both teams cleared their benches.

There was no late rally by either side, the game ending with a 22-point win for WP – 39-17.

The scorers

For Western Province
Tries: Khan 2, De Villiers, Markus 2
Cons: Blommetjies 3, Khan
Pens: Blommetjies 2

For the Griffons
Tries: Kota, Wehr
Cons: Kota 2
Pen: Kota

Yellow card: Gurshwin Wehr (Griffons, 62 – cynical foul, deliberately slapping the ball away)

Teams

Western Province: 15 Luke Burger, 14 JC Mars, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Markus, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Clayton Blommetjies, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Willie Engelbrecht (captain), 7 Divan Fuller, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Andre Goedhals, 3 Corne Weilbach, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Vernon Matongo.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Mhleli Khuzwayo, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Enos Ndiao, 20 CJ Velleman, 21 Labib Kannemeyer, 22 Kyle Smith, 23 Justin Geduld.

Griffons: 15 Kyle Cyster, 14 Qamani Kota, 13 Keanu Vers, 12 Robbie Petzer, 11 Gurshwin Wehr, 10 Dewald Human, 9 Keegan Schaefer, 8 Wikus Nieuwenhuis, 7 Thomas Ongera, 6 Mingo Piti, 5 Curtly Thomas, 4 Matthew Gray, 3 Moango Ngundue, 2 Chadley Wenn, 1 Simon Westraadt.
Replacements: 16 Willem van den Hever, 17 Xolani Jacobs, 18 Mthokozisi Gumede, 19 Joshua Paris, 20 Jared Kruger, 21 Calla Pienaar, 22 Cheslin Arendse, 23 Chris Nollis

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Quinton Immelman

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