Griquas pip WP at the death

A try after the hooter by lock Cameron Lindsay helped the Tafel Lager Griquas to a narrow 30-28 (halftime 17-22) victory over DHL Western Province in a Carling Currie Cup clash at the Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon.

The home side had hung on for dear life in the final minutes of the game but Griquas never gave up and with WP conceding multiple penalties, Griquas found themselves with a five-metre lineout at the sound of the hooter. Province collapsed the maul with virtually the entire Griquas team involved, with referee Aimee Barret-Theron forced to blow up the home side.

Griquas decided to tap-and-go with WP defending for all their worth. However, Lindsay grappled and fought his way over the line and forced the ball down to the excitement and joy of the visiting players. This left the teams locked at 28-28 with the kick to come and former WP flyhalf, George Whitehead, calmly slotted the winning conversion.

Lindsay’s try was the only one in a second stanza dominated by penalties. Province thought they had scored after 56 minutes, with Edwill van der Merwe going over in the corner but Barret-Theron ruled, along with the TMO, that a slight knock-on occurred in the build-up to the try.

Minutes later and a storming run by No 8 Evan Roos ended just short of the line with Roos losing the ball in the tackle. Griquas had thought they had scored their third try with four minutes left on the clock but it was overturned as a pass from Whitehead was ruled forward.

Province started the game strongly and used their strong pack to good effect with hooker JJ Kotze controlling well at the back of a rolling maul to score the match’s opening try after just seven minutes, with flyhalf Tim Swiel converting.

But the visitors hit back almost immediately with Whitehead judging a chip over the Province defence to perfection as wing fullback Ashlon Davids outjumped Province fullback Sergeal Petersen to snatch the ball and go over under the poles, making the conversion for Whitehead an easy one.

Province were back in front just on the halfway mark of the first half as Kotze again controlled at the back of a maul to go over for his second try of the game. However, the angle of the conversion was too tight for Swiel.

Whitehead slotted his first penalty of the game before some neat stepping from Daniel Kasemba saw the right-winger coast in for their second score to hand the lead to the men from Kimberly for the first time in the match. Province, though, had to play the remainder of the half with 14 men as replacement tighthead prop, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko was binned by Barret-Theron.

This did not deter the home side and after a penalty by Swiel, Province regained the lead with a lovely try by Petersen after a grubber by Swiel. The flyhalf converted to send the teams into the changerooms with Province ahead by just five points.

Griquas never gave up throughout and through their determination and Province’s ill-discipline, handed Griquas their second victory of the campaign and moved them up to third on the Currie Cup log, with Province maintaining their top spot despite the defeat.

Scorers

DHL Western Province – Tries:JJ Kotze (2), Sergeal Petersen; Conversions:Tim Swiel (2); Penalties:Swiel (3).

Tafel Lager Griquas – Tries:Ashlon Davids, Daniel Kasemba, Cameron Lindsay; Conversions:George whitehead (3); Penalties:Whitehead (3).