DHL Western Province will be involved in their third Absa Currie Cup Final in a row, after moving into the 2014 final courtesy of their deserved 31-23 semifinal win over the Vodacom Blue Bulls at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
A try double from exciting fullback Cheslin Kolbe and a near faultless goalkicking display from flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis saw the table-topping DHL WP team book a fourth final place in five years and second in a row at home.
Of course, they will not be the only DHL Western Province team in action at DHL Newlands next weekend, with the Under-19s and Under-21s also progressing to their respective finals earlier in the day.
A crowd of almost 27,000 backed their team all the way at DHL Newlands, as the home side – after leading 25-10 at half-time – rose to the occasion to seal their place in the 2014 showpiece final of South African rugby.
The scorers:
For DHL Western Province:
Tries: Kolbe 2, Groom
Cons: Catrakilis 2
Pens: Catrakilis 3
DG: Catrakilis
For Blue Bulls:
Tries: Greyling, Visagie
Cons: Potgieter, Pollard
Pens: Potgieter 3
The teams:
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 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 EW Villjoen.
Vodacom Blue Bulls: 15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Handré Pollard, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann (captain), 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Marcel van der Merwe, 18 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 19 Wiaan Liebenberg, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Sampie Mastriet, 22 Jesse Kriel.
Referee: Lesego ‘Pro’ Legoete
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker, Linston Manuels
Television Match Official: Deon van Blommestein
