Prooooovince win by a whisker (a Lions whisker that is) By Herman R Gibbs, Cape Dreams Editor Western Province were crowned the 2014 Currie Cup champions following a nailbiting 19-16 win against the Golden Lions at Newlands on Saturday evening. The match produced typical Cup final rugby and neither side were allowed to run away with the game at any stage, although Province worked their way to a first-half 13-0 lead, which ultimately proved to their saving grace, as the they only just survived the Lions’ second-half onslaught. The Lions did well to equalize at 13-all after being down 13-0 at the break but they surrendered two penalties midway through the second half and that proved their undoing. True to form, Province and the Lions at the outset showed a reluctance to kick the ball for territorial gains and instead opted to run their way out of defensive positions. Breakdown infringements from kickable positions offered opportunities for both teams in the opening 13 minutes. Demetri Catrakilis, the Province place-kicker, was on song but his opposite number Marnitz Boshoff was uncharteristically off form with the boot. Catrakilis goaled a 3rd minute penalty and another six minutes later when the Lions were penalised at a Province maul (6-0). Boshoff hashed a 13th minute penalty attempt and was fractionally wide of the mark again in the 31st minute even though both kicks were well within his range. These two setbacks would have been demoralising for the Lions because both penalties came at a time when they held the initiative, and an advance on the scoreboard would have been a just reward. In between these setbacks, the Lions’ defence was stretched to the limits trying to contain some rather adventurous play as the Province backs and forwards produced some telling inter-plays across the width of the field. Lions had lesser opportunities to run with the ball but they came up the usually reliable Province although they well to take the ball up to within a whisker of the tryline on two without affecting a breakthrough. Province on the other hand made their pressure count when they found a gap in the Lions midfield and inside centre Jaco Taute needed no invitation to streak through for the first try of the match. Catrakilis added the conversion in the 34th minute to give Province a 13-0 lead. A minute a ahead of the halftime break, the Lions relieved Boshoff of the placing kicking but his stand-in Ruan Combrinck failed to make good with an attempt from 40 metres out. The Lions returned for second-half with a far greater sense of urgency and were rewarded for their efforts this time as they ran up 13 unanswered points in only 17 minutes. Boshoff was restored as the place-kicker and he made good in the 45th minute with penalty to open his side’s scoring in the match (13-3) Next the Lions sprung an attack from their own half and Province never looked like halting the surge despite several desperate tackles and eventually fullback Jaco van der Walt provided the finishing touch with a dive at the corner flag, despite the valiant cover tackle effort from Seabelo Senatla. Marnitz’s touchline conversion in the 52nd minute was good (13-10). With Province still not able to exit their half, they suffered another setback after a 57th penalty and Marnitz had the easiest of kicks to equalize the score at 13-all. Province staged a fightback without really threatening but there was consolation for taking play into the Lions half in the ensuing minutes when they were awarded two penalties, mainly as a result of pressure at breakdown play. Catrakilis was on target each time and with 17 minutes play left at that stage, Province were ahead by six points (19-13). With time running out, the Lions mounted one last desperate challenge with several ball-in-hand surges into the Province half but they were held in check by near faultless defence. As their efforts continued to fail their patience ran out and their lack of composure cost them momentum in the Province 22-metre area. There was a long-distance penalty by Combrinck five minutes ahead of the final whistle but thereafter the Lions never managed to take play into the Province 22-matre area again. Province managed to keep play in the Lions’ half in the dying minutes although they never looked like adding to their score. Instead, the Lions were awarded to two penalties inside their own half and another just inside Province half but Marnitz’ attempt to save the match – and force it into extra time, disappeared into the Newlands air as his wide went wide of the posts. As the ball went wide of the posts, the fulltime hooter sounded and this was the cue for referee Craig Joubert to blow the fulltime whistle – much to the relief of the Province fans in the 44, 5000 crowd. Scorers: WP: Try: Jaco Taute. Conversion: Demetri Catrakilis. Penalties: Demetri Catrakilis (4). Lions: Try: Jaco van der Walt. Conversion: Marnitz Boshoff. Penalties: Boshoff (3).
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 17:30:43 +0000
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