DHL Western Province secured their position at the top of the 2014 Absa Currie Cup log with a 36-12 win over Griquas at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
The hosts notched up their fourth bonus point of the season in the process, as they bounced back from last week’s two-point defeat in Johannesburg – their only loss of the season.
Debutant starter Sikhumbuzo Notshe scored two tries, whilst fellow first-timer Justin Geduld also celebrated his start with a well-taken try in just the second minute.
Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis produced yet another near-flawless display off the kicking tee to help his team into a 24-0 half-time lead.
The second half began with a Griquas try – through flanker Ruaan Lerm (his first at this level) – but Notshe helped his team to their bonus point shortly before the start of the final quarter.
Griquas hit back late in the game through replacement back Abrie Griesel, but DHL WP had the final say in the match when Cheslin Kolbe nipped over for his sixth Absa Currie Cup try after captain Juan de Jongh was held up just short.
Replacement flyhalf Kurt Coleman added the extras from out wide to complete the victory as DHL Western Province restored their four-point lead at the top of the log – over the Xerox Golden Lions.
Hooker Scarra Ntubeni, in his first Absa Currie Cup start of 2014, walked off with the official Man of the Match Award, with the DHL Newlands crowd of just over 10,000 clearly appreciating the performance of the entire side on the day – especially Kolbe’s final try after an earlier one was disallowed for an alleged forward pass.
DHL WP will now travel to Nelspruit to take on the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium on Friday, September 26 (kick-off 19h00).
The scorers:
For DHL Western Province:
Tries: Geduld, Notshe 2, Harris, Kolbe
Cons: Catrakilis 3, Coleman
Pen: Catrakilis
For GWK Griquas:
Tries: Lerm, Griesel
Con: Grant
The teams:
DHL Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Justin Geduld, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Manuel Carizza, 20 Rohan Kitshoff, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Kurt Coleman.
Griquas: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Jonathan Francke, 12 Gideon la Grange, 11 Petrus Vermeulen, 10 Francois Brummer (captain), 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Burger Schoeman, 7 Ruaan Lerm, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Nicolaas van Dyk, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Janro van Niekerk, 18 Jonathan Adendorf, 19 Carel Greeff, 20 Abrie Griesel, 21 Dean Grant, 22 Danie Dames.
Referee: Lesego ‘Pro’ Legoete
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Marc van Zyl
Television Match Official: Shaun Veldsman
