WP record bonus point win
Western Province's defence held out superbly in the closing stages to steer their side to a bonus-point 37-27 win over the Sharks.
|||Cape Town - Western Province's defence held out superbly in the closing stages to steer their side to a bonus-point 37-27 win over their hosts, the Sharks, in Durban on Saturday evening.
Province came up with a game-changing spell just after the break when they ran two converted tries to turn a 17-10 deficit into a 24-17 lead.
The Sharks were never able to regain the lead and Province surged further ahead midway through the second half when they scored the bonus-point try.
Sharks flyhalf Joe Pietersen, who boasts an accuracy rate of 85% as a place-kicker this season, opened the scoring in the match with a third- minute penalty (3-0).
Province overcame the early setback with a Seabelo Senatla try three minutes later, flyhalf Robert du Preez, on his Currie Cup debut, converted splendidly from touchline (7-3).
With both sides particularly enthusiastic on attack, there were a number infringements on either side, and referee Rasta Rasivhenge awarded a number of penalties over the next 20 minutes and the Sharks did well to convert two while Du Preez was on target once (10-9).
Despite being pushed back at the set-scrums, the Sharks managed to protect their ball and they were rewarded when they worked the ball up to the corner flag where centre Andre Esterhuizen dotted down help from his captain Marco Wentzel.
Pietersen failed to convert (14-10). The Sharks made their strong finish at the end of the first half count when Pietersen added a fourth penalty on the hooter to give his side a 17-10 lead at the halftime break.
When the teams returned, Province showed a greater sense urgency straight from the restart, and the Sharks' defence wilted under the pressure and conceded two tries in six minutes.
Flank Rynhardt Elstadt and wing Dillyn Leyds were the try-scorers and Du Preez banged over both conversions to open up a 24-17 lead.
Pietersen closed the gap four minutes later with a penalty (24-20) but Province responded almost immediately with a powerful surge upfield and the sortie ended with replacement hooker Bongi Mbonambi finishing the move with an acrobatic touch as he made the touchdown for the bonus point try.
Du Preez's conversion took the score out to 31-20 for an 11-point lead. The scoreboard was kept ticking over at a steady rate around the hour mark as Du Preez goaled a second penalty for Province and fullback Odwa Ndungane ranged up into the Sharks' backline to snatch a converted try in the 63rd minute (34-27).
The Sharks enjoyed plenty possession in the closing stages but they could not find a way past the Province defence and instead conceded a penalty three minutes from the end when replacement Demetri Catrakilis put the final result beyond doubt with the last penalty of the match (37-27).
Catrakilis' strike also denied the Sharks a bonus point for losing by seven or less points.
Scorers: Sharks 27 (17): Tries: Andre Esterhuizen, Odwa Ndungane. Conversions: Joe Pietersen. Penalties: Joe Pietersen (5) Western Province: 37 (10): Tries: Seabelo Senatla, Rynhardt Elstadt, Dillyn Leyds, Bongi Mbonambi. Conversions: Robert du Preez (4). Penalties: Du Preez (2), Demetri Catrakilis - African News Agency (ANA)