Ok it was Currie Cup final today and a rematch of the SR semi of the Sharks vs Stormers this time as the Sharks vs Western Province in the Sharks backyard. My beloved WP although they have won it about 31 times compared to the Sharks 6, haven't won it for 11 years. Been to the final got beaten by the Sharks last time around. Sharks been pulling one over WP this whole season.
Sharks had their Boks back with a full strength side including Keegan Daniels, Marcel Coetzee, The Beast, Jannie Du Plessis, JP Pietersen, Mvovo, Lambie. So they were the overwhelming favorites and everyone predicted a Sharks by then.
It was the first final that WP played that I don't mind losing as the WP team basically is way much weaker on paper. Not weaker cause of lacking ability but because of injuries and its a very young side.
Missing was Tiaan Liebenberg, Siya Kolisi, Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers, Koster, Carr, Andries Bekker. The loosies injury toll is so big that we have to play a hooker on the flank in Deon Fourie and use our third choice hooker as Liebenberg was out as well. Grant went back to Japan.
Here was the WP squad
15. Gio Aplon
14. Gerhard van den Heever
13. Juan de Jongh
12. Damian de Allende
11. Bryan Habana
10. Demetri Catrakilis
9. Nic Groom
8. Duane Vermeulen
7. Don Armand
6. Deon Fourie (captain)
5. De Kock Steenkamp
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Frans Malherbe
2. Scarra Ntubeni
1. Steven Kitshoff
Players not considered for selection this weekend due to long-term injuries:
- Tiaan Liebenberg (hooker, back)
- Andries Bekker (lock, toe)
- Schalk Burger (flank, knee)
- Siya Kolisi (flank, shoulder/thumb)
- Rynhardt Elstadt (flank, rib)
- Nizaam Carr (No.8, knee)
- Dewaldt Duvenage (scrumhalf, leg)
- Gary van Aswegen (flyhalf, ankle)
- Kurt Coleman (flyhalf, jaw)
- Jean de Villiers (centre, hamstring)
WP Under-21 players in the DHL WP Currie Cup Final squad:
- Scarra Ntubeni (hooker)
- Steven Kitshoff (prop)
- Frans Malherbe (prop)
- Eben Etzebeth (lock)
- Wilhelm van der Sluys (lock)
- Damian de Allende (centre)
The Sharks
15. Louis Ludik
14. JP Pietersen
13. Paul Jordaan
12. Tim Whitehead
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Patrick Lambie
9. Cobus Reinach
8. Keegan Daniel (Captain)
7. Willem Alberts
6. Marcell Coetzee
5. Anton Bresler
4. Steven Sykes
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Craig Burden
1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements
16. Kyle Cooper
17. Wiehahn Herbst
18. Jandre Marais
19. Jean Deysel
20. Charl McLeod
21. Meyer Bosman
22. Odwa Ndungane
This final was the seventh The Sharks have been involved in since 2000, with two wins (in 2010 over WP and 2008 over the Vodacom Blue Bulls, both at home). Apart from the losses in 2000 and 2001 to WP, they also lost the 2003 final to the Blue Bulls and 2011 final to the MTN Golden Lions.
WP?s fourth final since 2000, with all three previous meetings having been against The Sharks.
Sharks coach Plumtree selected 13 Springboks in his match-day squad, with nine of them starting. The pack shows four changes, with prop Tandai Mtawarira, hooker Craig Burden, lock Steven Sykes and flanker Willem Alberts all promoted to the run-on team after having sat on the bench in the team?s 20-3 semi-final victory over the Vodacom Blue Bulls last weekend.
WP?s squad boasts six Under-21 players as well as six players who have played Test rugby for South Africa.
Absa Currie Cup Final results 2000-2011
2000 Sharks 15-25 WP
2001 WP 29-24 Sharks
2002 Lions 7-31 Blue Bulls
2003 Blue Bulls 40-19 Sharks
2004 Blue Bulls 42-33 Free State
2005 Blue Bulls 25-29 Free State
2006 Free State 28-28 Blue Bulls
2007 Free State 20-18 Lions
2008 Sharks 14-9 Blue Bulls
2009 Blue Bulls 36-24 Free State
2010 Sharks 30-10 WP
2011 Lions 42-16 Sharks
Most titles won:
31 ? WP (last title in 2001, also shared four times)
23 ? Blue Bulls (last title 2009, also shared four times)
10 ? Lions (last title 2011, also shared once)
6 ? Sharks (last title 2010)
4 ? Free State (last title 2007, also shared once)
Well the rain hit before the match and it was Sharks from the go. WP slotted the first penalty but Lambie slotted 3 of them to make it 9-3. WP had a chance where Pietersen intercepted just at crucial time to stop a dangerous looking attack. Pietersen almost went over from a Jordaan break but Habana made a try saving tackle only to miss the rest of the match as he went of with a injury. Sharks dominated and Lambie made it 12 - 3 and it looked like the young WP guns were getting over powered. But they defended like demons and 10 before half time De Jongh sliced through the midfield from a setpiece handing of Daniels side stepping Mvovo to crash in under the poles and WP were back in it 12 - 10.
Sharks supporters were stunned and the young WP guns sudddenly played with fire. Pieterson slotted a long kick over and the young Greek slotted one over to make it 16 - 12 at half time.
Half the country was stunned the other half was contemplating suicide as big bets with bookies seem to dump lot of people into insolvency.
2nd Half started and the Sharks came out firing throwing wave after wave at the Wp defense. They had a 10 minute onslaught only to meet 15 determined youngsters well drilled by Rubenheimer in their defensive patterns. Lambie slotted 2 penalties to put the Sharks back into the lead and order looked restored. But WP took control starting to beat the Sharks up in every set piece and up front. Catrakilis slotted one for WP to regain the lead. Rain was coming down in stints and at times it looked like they wanted to get the speedboats out.
Play was from then on in the Sharks end and the young Province flyhalf then sealed the win with two drop goals to stun the Sharks and their supporters as WP caused one of the biggest upsets in a CC final 25-18. No one gave them a chance only to be worthy winners. Well played lads and to think most of them are barely around the ages of 20 to 23 years old.
WP won the Vodacom cup in the beginning of the season. Their U/21 and U/19 sides were in their respective finals as well. The U/19 side beat the Bulls and the U/21 side minus the 6 who played in the main match went down to the Bulls U/21 side.
So things look very bright for WP as Jantjies and Taute still to come in for the Stormers in next years SR campaign,
