The final 2021 Carling Currie Cup match of the weekend, proved to be a humdinger as the New Nation Pumas took on DHL Western Province in Cape Town. The Pumas scored the equalising try with 2 minutes to go making full use of Western Provinces' ill-discipline (40-40).
The first half did not disappoint as both teams had their opportunities which they used well to keep the scoreboard pressure on each other. With 40 minutes to go Western Province led with 5 points against a Pumas side that dominated most of the statistics.
Western Province ill-discipline cost Western Province several opportunities on the attack and allowed the Pumas to score several tries from 5m line-out mauls. The Pumas scored two tries during the last seven minutes to draw an exciting match.
02:13 Edwill vd Merwe scored Western Province's first try. The movement started in Western Province's own half (07-00).
09:20 Eddie Fouche scored the Pumas first try after the Pumas set up camp on the Western Provinces' try-line (07-07).
12:17 Dan du Plessis found space out wide and scored his 4th try of the Currie Cup competition. A great kick by Tim Swiel was collected by du Plessis to go over in the corner (14-07).
15:19 Great pass by Gelant sent Seabelo Senatla over in the corner for WP's 3rd try (19-07).
20:00 The Western Province's defence was up to the challenges the Pumas attack posed and scored three tries of their own. The Pumas had the majority of the possession, however, could just not find the gaps.
31:38 Simon Westraadt scored the Pumas' second try from the back of a 5m lineout maul (19-14).
36:01 Sazi Sandi bulldoze his way over the Pumas' tryline. This was WP's 4th try to secure a bonus point already (26-14).
39:43 Daniel Maartens scored the Pumas 3rd try from yet another 5m lineout maul (26-21).
40:00 Western Province started the match like a house on fire to establish an early lead (19-07) and was seemingly on their way to an easy win. The Pumas, however, clawed their way back into the game and ended the first half with the momentum firmly in their favour.
46:48 Seabelo Senatla scored his second try of the match. Senatla ended a movement he started in his own half (33-19).
53:03 Shane Kirkwood scored the Pumas' bonus-point try after a powerful scrum (33-26).
60:00 Still everybody's game with the penalties that WP are conceding giving the Pumas the edge which could just cost Province the game.
66:19 Tristan Leyds scored a well-deserved try for Western Province. Western Province was on the attack for a lengthy period when Leyds was put into the gap by a great past from Masimla (40-26).
73:51 Erich Cronje scored another try for the Pumas from the back of a 5m lineout maul (40-33).
77:31 Eddie Swart scored the equaliser try with just 2 minutes to go (40-40).
Scorers:
DHL Western Province: Tries: Edwill vd Merwe, Dan du Plessis, Seabelo Senatla (2), Sazi Sandi, Tristan Leyds. Conversions: Tim Swiel (5).
New Nation Pumas: Tries: Eddie Fouche, Simon Westraadt, Daniel Maartens, Shane Kirkwood, Erich Cronje, Eddie Swart. Conversions: Eddie Fouche (5).
DHL Western Province: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Johan du Toit, 6 Nama Xaba, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 David Meihuizen, 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Leon Lyons. Replacements (from): 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Deon Fourie, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Rikus Pretorius, 23 Tristan Leyds, 24 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 25 De Wet Marais.
New Nation Pumas: 15. Devon Williams, 14. Sebastián de Klerk, 13. Erich Cronje, 12. Matt More, 11. Etienne Taljaard, 10. Eddie Fouche, 9. Ginter Smuts, 8. Willie Engelbrecht, 7. Phumzile Maqondwana, 6. Daniel Maartens, 5. Pieter Janse van Vuuren (C), 4. Shane Kirkwood, 3. IG Prinsloo, 2. Simon Westraadt, 1. Etienne Janeke. Replacements: 16. Eduan Swart, 17. Morgan Naude, 18. Marne Coetzee, 19. Kwanda Dimaza, 20. Kwezi Mafu, 21. Chriswill September, 22. Ali Mgijima, 23. Tapiwa Mafura.