DHL Western Province knew exactly what they needed to do to qualify for the 2021 Carling Currie Cup semi-final. Although Western Province left it late they managed to secure a well deserved bonus-point win (35-24).
Western Province was the better team throughout the game and deserved the win. However, the Sharks has shown enough during this game that they will be a serious title contender in the Carling Currie Cup Cup.
07:51 A quick tap by Paul de Wet sent Dan du Plessis for an early try for Western Province (00-07).
12:44 Curwin Bosch convert a penalty for the Sharks (03-07).
13:55 Brilliant work by Dan du Plessis who collected his grubber to score his and Western Province's second try (03-14).
20:22 A brilliant attack from the Sharks that started in their half had Yaw Penxe go over in the corner for the Sharks 1st try (10-14).
20:00 Western Province started the game willing to run from anywhere on the pitch and scored two early tries. However, the Sharks came back into the game later in the 1st quarter but the momentum this early with Western Province.
31:03 Phepsi Buthelezi scored the Sharks second try after Sanele Nohamba took a quick tap from a penalty and sent Buthelezi over (17-14)
40:00 Although the Western Province dominated the territorial and possession statistics, the accuracy of the Sharks on the attack was good enough to see them going into the second half with a 3 point lead. The momentum with the Western Province at this stage, however, the Sharks must be the favourites to win.
45:15 Paul de Wet scored Western Province 3rd try to edge closer to a semi-final (17-21).
60:00 The game lost a lot of structure with the Western Province in "control"?
70:29 Yaw Penxe outsprints all to fall on the ball in the Sharks in-goal area after a great chip kick by Lionel Cronje (24-21).
73:54 JJ Kotze stormed through a wall of Sharks defenders to score Western Province's bonus-point try (24-28).
82:39 Edwill vd Merwe put the final nail in the coffin of the Sharks and Pumas' title hopes with a brilliant try (24-35)
Scorers:
DHL Western Province: Tries: Dan du Plessis (2), Paul de Wet, JJ Kotze. Edwwill vd Merwe. Conversions: Tim Swiel (5).
Cell C Sharks: Tries: Yaw Penxe (2), Sanele Nohamba. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (3). Penalty: Curwin Bosch
Cell C Sharks: 15. Curwin Bosch, 14. Yaw Penxe, 13. Werner Kok, 12. Murray Koster, 11. Thaakir Abrahams, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Sanele Nohamba, 8. Phepsi Buthelezi (c), 7. Henco Venter, 6. James Venter, 5. Gerbrandt Grobler, 4. Le Roux Roets, 3. Khutha Mchunu, 2. Kerron van Vuuren, 1. Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: 16. Dan Jooste, 17. Khwezi Mona, 18. Lourens Adriaanse, 19. Reniel Hugo, 20. Thembelani Bholi, 21. Cameron Wright 22. Marius Louw, 23. Anthony Volmink.
DHL Western Province: 15 Sergeal Petersen, 14 Ruhan Nel, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 Johan du Toit, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Leon Lyons. Replacements (from): 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Simon Miller, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Rikus Pretorius, 23 Tristan Leyds, 24 Justin Basson, 25 De Wet Marais.