A late Demetri Catrakilis drop-goal helped DHL Western Province claim a dramatic 29-27 win over the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, as the defending Absa Currie Cup champions retained their unbeaten status.
Catrakilis slotted a smart drop-goal under immense pressure in the 78th minute of play to hand Province a crucial away win in Bloemfontein as the hunt for home play-off spots intensifies in the business-end of the 2013 Currie Cup.
DHL WP – who welcomed back fit-again flanker Schalk Burger from a series of long-term injuries – showed plenty of guts to win on the road and despite being outscored by two tries to three on the night.
The Cheetahs led by 17-13 at half-time, having dominated the first-half possession stakes by 65% to 35% – the hosts making just 22 tackles compared to WP's 37 in the first half.
However, WP remained in the hunt through a typically deadly Cheslin Kolbe try in the 13th minute of play, the Cheetahs having taken a 10-0 lead initially through a penalty goal and a converted try, and the boot of Kurt Coleman.
Coleman added 11 points on the night before giving way to Catrakilis in the 62nd minute, the former coming on just in time to add the extras to Michael Rhodes's 63rd-minute try and then slot a penalty five minutes later to put WP ahead by 26-24. WP had been battering on the Cheetahs line for some time, including two maul assaults, before Rhodes smashed the ball over the whitewash for a valuable try which narrowed the gap before Catrakilis's penalty put their noses in front.
The Cheetahs, however, thought they had the last laugh – as they did against the DHL Stormers in Super Rugby earlier this year – when flyhalf Elgar Watts chipped over a penalty in the 74th minute but WP showed great composure to surge back into the Free State half.
They took the ball through a series of phases, through both backs and forwards, before Catrakilis worked his way into the pocket and weaved the ball through the uprights in the face of a horde of Cheetahs chasers.
Just over a minute of play remained as the Cheetahs restarted, but the visitors managed to hold out and eventually inside centre Damian de Allende hacked the ball into touch after a Free State knock on in close quarters.
DHL WP captain Deon Fourie had another busy match on his return from injury, especially on the floor in the second half and as a carrier towards the end of play, but the official Absa Man of the Match Award went to hard-working forward – and try-scorer – Michael Rhodes, who started at flank and ended at lock when he moved to the second row to make way for Burger's return in the 60th minute.
Skipper Fourie said afterwards: “It was tough out there. It wasn't great from us, but we showed character to pull through in the end and, of course, we're grateful to Demetri too!”
The scorers:
For the Toyota Free State Cheetahs:
Tries: Daniller 2, Pretorius
Cons: Smit 2, Watts
Pens: Smit, Watts
For DHL Western Province:
Tries: Kolbe, Rhodes
Cons: Coleman, Catrakilis
Pens: Coleman 3, Catrakilis
DG: Catrakilis
The teams:
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Smit, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Piet Lindeque, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Boom Prinsloo (captain), 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 Oupa Mohoje, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Freddy Ngoza, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Francois Uys, 19 Davon Raubenheimer, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Ryno Benjamin, 22 Willie du Plessis.
DHL Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Michael van der Spuy, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Tazz Fuzani, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Gerbrandt Grobler, 19 Schalk Burger, 20 Josh Katzen, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Demetri Catrakilis.
Referee: Marius Jonker
