Redemption day looming for WP on day three of the Grant Khomo Week
A hard-fought 19-13 victory in Gqeberha on Wednesday over the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks ensured that Western Province would have a shot at redemption.
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As a result of that win, Province will face the defending champions, the Blue Bulls, in the unofficial main match of the 2024 Grant Khomo Week on Friday afternoon.
The Blue Bulls beat Boland 37-28 to secure their place in the Friday’s feature game after 60 minutes of outstanding running rugby.
The fullbacks stole the show in the 65-point thriller. The Bulls’ Drewyn Baron set a cold and windy Kolisi Field alight with his exhilarating ability to beat defenders. He dotted down twice, with his five-pointer just before the half-time break proving to be a turning point for the Light Blues.
Boland’s Anwill Josh Jacobs, impressed again, doing exactly what he had done when the Bolanders beat the Lions on day one. He gave the Boland backline a fantastic cutting edge and caused headaches for the Bulls throughout the contest. Just like his opposite number, Baron, he grabbed a double, with his second coming as a result of his astute reading of the defence. It ended beneath the uprights.
Bulls’ lock Martin van Niekerk earned himself a pat on the back. His motor ran at full bore throughout the game, with his work rate and willingness to put his body on the line helping to provide quality ball for the Light Blues’ backs to attack a tiring Boland defence.
Province, meanwhile, had to deal with a solid and stubborn Sharks’ defence. That, however, did not stop the men in the blue-and-white-striped jerseys from piling on the pressure, with wave after relentless wave of attacks.
Tiaan Basson, the Capetonians’ outside centre was prominent. He kept the Sharks’ defenders busy with his physical runs in the midfield.
Province’s flying wing, Tyrece Gereke, also challenged the boys in black and white. He was responsible for one of his side’s three tries, which proved to be a pivotal score in a very physical match.
Despite going down, the Sharks can hold their heads up high. Tighthead prop Ben Coetzee turned in an impressive performance. The burly front-rower put on a show, demonstrating that props in modern-day schoolboy structures are capable of doing almost anything.
The Gauteng Lions bagged their first win of the tournament, claiming a tightly contested 19-12 win over the hosts, Eastern Province.
Anthony Viljoen, the Lions’ inside centre, crossed the whitewash for two crucial tries, with his second proving to be the difference between the sides.
His match-up with Eastern Province’s outside centre, Erin Nelson, had the crowd going, with both challenging the other throughout the duration of the match.
Griquas overcame the Leopards, beating the side from the North West 19-7 in a tough and physical battle.
Eighthman Azingce Cofa, left wing Ashwin Muller, and inside centre Thabo Thole, ran in tries for the Northern Cape side. De Wet Grobler, the Leopards’ blindside flank, impressed with his physicality and scored his team’s only try.
Scorers
Western Province 19 (14) – Tries: Esa van der Schyff, Mickyle Booyse, Tyrece Geneke. Conversions: Ethan van Biljon (2). KwaZulu-Natal Sharks 13 (10) – Tries: Ben Coetzee, Nathan Aneke. Penalty: Lux Sonkononkono.
Blue Bulls 37 (19) – Tries: Drewyn Baron (2), Nico Klein, Yuvrah George, Charl Els. Conversions: Dylan Stumke (3). Penalties: Stumke (2). Boland 28 (21) – Tries: Anwill Josh Jacobs (2), Brydan Joseph, Penalty Try. Conversions: Joshua Arnoldus (3).
Lions 19 (14) – Tries: Jaydon Viljoen (2), Tidimalo Moketsane. Conversions: Viljoen (2). Eastern Province 12 (12) – Tries: Erin Nelson, Noah Mbizi.
Griquas 19 (12) – Tries: Azingce Cofa, Ashwin Muller, Thabo Thole. Conversions: Ezlin Swartz, Duran Makoni. Leopards 7 (0) – Try: De Wet Grobler. Conversion: Wian du Preez.
The fixtures for day three are:
Kolisi Field: 09h00 – Lions vs Border; 10h20 – Free State vs Boland; 11h30 – Sharks vs SWD; 12:40 – Western Province vs Blue Bulls.
Pollock Oval: 09h00 – Pumas vs Leopards; 10h20 – Free State XV vs Griffons; 11h30 – WP XV vs Eastern Province.
Pyot Field: 09h00 – Namibia vs Zimbabwe; 10h20 – Border Country Districts vs Valke; 11h30 – Griquas vs Limpopo Blue Bulls.
