DHL Western Province fought back from a point down at half-time to record a convincing 35-16 Absa Currie Cup victory over the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth tonight.
Province trailed 10-11 at half-time but they upped their game considerably in the second half to open their 2014 Currie Cup campaign with a deserved bonus point victory away from home.
Having drawn their opening game (to the Bulls) in 2013, lost their opener in 2012 (to the Sharks) and drawn with Griquas on ‘day one’ in 2011, Province were full value in their four tries to two win at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Replacement back Pat Howard, who came on early for Kobus van Wyk, scored his team’s opening try via a slick backline move in the seventh minute – new captain Juan de Jongh having had an earlier score disallowed when referee Jaco Peyper called him back for a forward pass.
Peyper penalised DHL WP severely in the first half and the visitors even spent most of the half with just 14 men on the field as lock Manuel Carizza and prop Pat Cilliers both spent time in the sin bin.
Still, flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis kept WP in the lead for most of the half with his accurate goalkicking, only for the Kings to take the lead just before the break when skipper Luke Watson rumbled over from a maul.
Harsh words must have been spoken at the half-time break as Province returned from the dressing-room on a mission, Nizaam Carr crashing over in the 45th minute after incessant pressure from the visitors.
Catrakilis – who never missed a kick all night – slotted the conversion as DHL Western Province regained the lead at 17-11, an advantage they would not give up again on the night as his second penalty goal in the 52nd minute made it 20-11.
Inside centre Michael van der Spuy benefited from a ball-and-all tackle by Seabelo Senatla on former Province man Gary van Aswegen in the 55th minute and even though replacement Kevin Luiters crossed in the 68th minute for the hosts the game was safe going into the final ten minutes – even after Senatla became WP’s third player to be sin-binned.
The only question, at 30-16 up, was whether or not Province would manage the fourth try and the electric Cheslin Kolbe answered that in emphatic fashion when he burst over from close range on the stroke of full-time to put the icing on the cake for the visitors.
Replacement Robert du Preez, who made his Absa Currie Cup debut alongside seven other players, missed the conversion but it was a happy Province side that left the Nelson Mandela Stadium in the end.
The return of Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth, from the bench, was also a highlight in the game as the 20,000-strong crowd – consisting of many DHL WP fans – was treated to a high-quality encounter.
The scorers:
For the EP Kings:
Tries: Watson, Luiters
Pens: Van Breda 2
For the DHL Stormers:
Tries: Howard, Carr, Van der Spuy
Cons: Catrakilis 3
Pens: Catrakilis 3
The teams:
EP Kings: 15 Scott van Breda, 14 Ronnie Cooke, 13 Tim Whitehead, 12 Shane Gates, 11 Siviwe Soyizwapi, 10 Gary van Aswegen, 9 Tobie Botes, 8 Luke Watson (captain), 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Thembelani Bholi, 5 David Bulbring, 4 Steven Cummins, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements: 16 Albe de Swardt, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Darron Nell, 19 Aidon Davis, 20 Kevin Luiters, 21 George Whitehead, 22 Ntabeni Dukisa.
DHL Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Jean Kleyn, 19 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Robert du Preez, 22 Pat Howard.
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Christie du Preez, Jaco Pretorius
Television Match Official: Deon van Blommestein