DHL Western Province hosted the Cell C Sharks at the Cape Town Stadium this afternoon. A one-point win (32-31) saw the Western Province move to the top of the Currie Cup log after three rounds of exciting rugby.
Both teams struggled to play constructive rugby with the boot of Tim Swiel at the end of the day the deciding factor.
05:01 Tim Swiel opens the DHL Western Provine account with a converted penalty, (03-00).
12:20 Paul de Wet score his fourth Currie Cup try and the first for Western Province on the day, (10-00).
16:18 Thembelani Bholi scores from a 5m lineout maul to narrow the gap for the Sharks, (10-07).
19:24 Tim Swiel kept the scoreboard rolling over with his second conversion of a penalty, (13-07).
20:00 A very physical match at this stage with the game still balanced of a knife's edge.
23:22 Tim Swiel converted his 3rd penalty as the ill-discipline of the Sharks costing them several penalties, (16-07).
27:44 Jaden Hendrikse score his first Currie Cup try after several mauls of the Cell C Sharks just fell short of the try line, (16-14).
31:30 Tim Swiel added another penalty, (19-14).
34:51 Jaden Hendrikse scored his second try after some great work by Thaakir Abrahams that started seven meters from the Sharks' try-line. The Sharks take the lead for the first time in the match, (19-21).
40:00 The momentum with the Sharks at this stage, however, it is still anybody's game with 40 minutes to go.
40:38 Evan Roos scored a brilliant try after a 40m run breaking through several tackles, (26-21).
45:04 No problems as Swiel added his 5th converted penalty, (29-21).
50:15 Fez Mbatha scored the Sharks' bonus point try while Western Province again has no answer to the rolling mauls of the Sharks, (29-28).
75:35 Curwin Bosch put the Sharks in the lead for the second time in this match with a converted penalty, (29-31).
77:07 Tim Swiel Converted his 6th penalty, (32-31).
Scorers:
DHL Western Province: Tries: Paul de Wet, Evan Roos. Conversions: Tim Swiel (2). Penalties: Tim Swiel (5).
Cell C Sharks: Thembelani Bholi, Jaden Hendrikse (2), Fez Mbatha. Conversion: Curwin Bosch (4). Penalty: Curwin Bosch.
DHL Western Province: 15. Sergeal Petersen, 14. Seabelo Senatla, 13. Cornel Smit, 12. Rikus Pretorius, 11. Edwill van der Merwe, 10. Tim Swiel, 9. Paul de Wet, 8. Evan Roos, 7. Hacjivah Dayimani, 6. Marcel Theunissen, 5. David Meihuizen, 4. Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 3. Neethling Fouche, 2. Reinach Venter, 1. Ali Vermaak. Replacements (from): 16. Jason Alexander, 17. Leon Lyons, 18. Sazi Sandi, 19. Justin Basson, 20. Johan du Toit, 21. Juarno Augustus, 22. Godlen Masimla, 23. Abner van Reenen, 24. Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 25. Lyle Hendricks.
Cell C Sharks: 15. Manie Libbok, 14. Werner Kok, 13. Jeremy Ward (c), 12. Marius Louw, 11. Thaakir Abrahams, 10. Curwin Bosch, 9. Jaden Hendrikse, 8. Mpilo Gumede, 7. Thembelani Bholi, 6. James Venter, 5. Hyron Andrews, 4. Ruben van Heerden, 3. Khutha Mchunu, 2. Fez Mbatha, 1. Khwezi Mona. Replacements: 16. Dan Jooste, 17. Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18. Wiehahn Herbst, 19. JJ van der Mescht, 20. Reniel Hugo, 21. Dylan Richardson, 22. Grant Williams, 23. Boeta Chamberlain.