Province stay on top in Currie Cup with Pumas win

Western Province will remain on top of the Currie Cup standings after they beat the Pumas 23-37 at Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit on Friday evening.

Although Western Province led by 14 points at half-time, and shortly after
the interval increased their lead to 21, they survived a second-half onslaught
from the Pumas to secure the victory.

The spirited comeback by the hosts cut the gap to seven points but Province
held their nerve in the dying minutes and scored their fourth try of the match
to seal the contest and a bonus point win.

With the win, Province move to 34 points with one match remaining for the Cape
side before the playoffs.

The match started off with flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis slotting a penalty to
take a 3-0 lead for Province in the second minute.

The opening try followed in the 10th minute when Nizaam Carr crossed the whitewash
for the visitors, and Catrakilis added the conversion to take a 10-0 lead.

The first points for the hosts came through the boot of number 10 JC Roos as
he nailed a penalty to close the gap to 10-3.

Just after the half-hour mark, Catrakilis added another penalty to send the
score out to 13-3.

The Pumas responded with a penalty of their own in the 36th minute as Roos
was successful from the halfway line to make it 13-6.

A minute before the break, Sikhumbuzo Notshe scored in the corner for Province
after some good build-up play from the Cape outfit. Catrakils again converted
and Province led 20-6 going into the break.

In the 46th minute, Michael van der Spuy scored next to the posts for Province’s
third try of the evening, and Catrakilis added the extra two points to take
a 27-6 lead.

As the lead rose to 21 points, the home side finally clicked into gear in the
50th minute.

Stefan Watermeyer scored two tries in the space of three minutes, and replacement
flyhalf Justin van Staden was successful with both conversions as the gap was
narrowed to seven points at 27-20.

Van Staden added a penalty in the 54th minute to close the gap to four points
at 27-23.

Catrakils again extended the lead for Province in the 58th minute with a penalty
to take the score to 30-23.

Two minutes before the end, Carr barged over for his second try of the evening
to seal the result, and Catrakils added the conversion for a hard-earned 37-23
win.

Final Score Pumas 23 (6) Western Province 37 (20)

Scorers

Pumas
Tries – Stefan Watermeyer (2)
Pen – Roos (2), Van Staden (1).
Con – Van Staden (2)
Drop –
Cards –

Western Province
Tries – Nizaam Carr (2), Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Michael van der Spuy.
Pen – Catrakilis (4).
Con – Catrakilis (3).
Drop –
Cards –

Teams

Pumas JW Bell, Ruwellyn Isbell, JW Jonker, Stefan Watermeyer, Rosko Specman, JC Roos, Reynier van Rooyen, Renaldo Bothma/RW Kember, Jaco Bouwer, Corne Steenkamp (captain), Giant Mtyanda, Marius Coetzer, Vincent Koch, Frankie Herne, Corne Fourie.

Replacements: Francois du Toit, DeJay Terblanche, Uzair Cassiem, RW Kember/Doppies le Roux, Dylon Frylinck, Justin van Staden, Jerome Pretorius.

Western Province

Cheslin Kolbe, Kobus van Wyk, Juan de Jongh (captain), Jaco Taute, Justin Geduld, Demetri Catrakilis, Louis Schreuder, Nizaam Carr, Michael Rhodes, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Ruan Botha, Jean Kleyn, Pat Cilliers, Scarra Ntubeni, Alistair Vermaak.

Replacements: Neil Rautenbach, Brok Harris, Manuel Carizza, Rohan Kitshoff, Nic Groom, Kurt Coleman, Michael van der Spuy.