Recap
Western Province vs Griffons: Western Province Triumphs with a 39-17 Victory in Cape Town
In a spirited Currie Cup encounter at Cape Town Stadium, DHL Western Province showcased their prowess with a commanding 39-17 victory over the Griffons on Saturday. This emphatic win, highlighted by standout performances from Damian Markus and Imad Khan, propels Western Province to fifth place in the standings, drawing them level with the fourth-placed Lions.
Assistant coach Dawie Snyman expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, citing it as a blend of “good rugby” and a testament to the squad’s evolving synergy. “It was a bit scrappy, but we need to understand that we’ve made several changes and are trying new combinations. There were quite a few highlights but also a few opportunities missed,” Snyman noted.
The match began with Western Province taking an early lead through a penalty from Clayton Blommetjies. However, the Griffons quickly responded as Qamani Kota capitalized on a loose pass to score, converting his own try and adding a penalty shortly after to take a surprising lead.
Western Province regained momentum when Clayton Blommetjies orchestrated a counterattack, leading to a try from scrumhalf Imad Khan. Blommetjies converted to level the scores at 10-all. A tactical line-out move saw Paul de Villiers score another try, with Blommetjies adding the extras to extend the lead to 17-10.
The Griffons responded with a try from Gurshwin Wehr, exploiting WP’s rush defense down the blindside. Kota’s conversion leveled the scores at 17-all. However, Western Province reclaimed the lead just before halftime with two tries from Damian Markus, one from a fortunate bounce and the other from a well-timed pass, ending the half at 29-17.
The second half saw a scrappy start, but a scrum penalty converted by Blommetjies added to WP’s tally. Imad Khan then showcased his quick thinking, charging down an attempted kick by Griffons flyhalf Dewald Human, chasing and scoring his second try of the match. Khan’s conversion brought the score to 39-17.
The Griffons’ discipline issues continued as Gurshwin Wehr was yellow-carded for a cynical foul, reducing them to 14 men and hampering their comeback efforts. Despite a series of substitutions and scrappy play from both sides, the score remained unchanged, securing a 22-point victory for Western Province.
Skipper Willie Engelbrecht praised the team’s effort and highlighted the impressive performances from the younger players. “As the coaches keep saying, we’re looking at the bigger picture. To see the youngsters coming through is impressive. They keep me on my toes and make me feel young again,” he said.
Looking ahead, Western Province will host the defending champion Cheetahs at Cape Town Stadium next Saturday. Snyman acknowledged the challenge but remained optimistic about the team’s growth and the importance of building cohesion. “It’ll be a different kind of challenge but another opportunity to grow closer together as a team, and we’ll start cementing our combinations more than we have the last few weeks.”