Currie Cup: Golden Lions and Western Province record semi-final victories
Saturday 18 October 2014 22:26, UK
Golden Lions and Western Province will contest the Currie Cup final after victories over the Sharks and Blue Bulls respectively.
The Lions were resounding 50-20 winners over the Sharks in Ellis Park while Western Province were 31-23 victors over the Blue Bulls at Newlands.
Golden Lions have wowed their fans this season with an exciting brand of running rugby and they didn’t disappoint against the Sharks, running in three tries in either half.
Jaco Kriel, Howard Mnisi, Ross Cronje, Armand van der Merwe, Ruan Combrinck and skipper Warren Whiteley all crossed the whitewash, while fly-half Marnitz Boshoff kicked 20 points.
Lwazi Mvovo, Tera Mtembu and SP Marais scored second-half tries for the Sharks, who trailed 23-3 at half-time.
"It was a fantastic effort and I am so proud of the boys," said Lions captain Whiteley.
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"In every match there are periods when you apply pressure and periods when you are under pressure and I thought we were very calm when forced to defend."
Western Province victorious
The Bulls had more first-half possession than Western Province yet they trailed 25-10 at half-time.
The difference between the teams was full-back Cheslin Kolbe, whose two tries earned him the man-of-the-match award.
A turnover far from Bulls' try-line led to the first try with left-wing Seabelo Senatla bursting clear and No 8 Nizaam Carr providing the scoring pass.
A deft grubber kick by fly-half Demetri Catrakilis created the second with Kobus van Wyk delivering the pass that sent Kolbe in.
Prop Dean Greyling barged over at the end of the opening half to offer Bulls some hope and a couple of penalties from fly-half Jacques Louis Potgieter trimmed the gap to nine points.
But Catrakilis responded with a penalty and a drop goal before Bulls' replacement hooker Callie Visagie snatched a last-minute consolation try.
"We capitalised on the Bulls' mistakes and Cheslin (Kolbe) gave another great performance," said Western Province skipper Juan de Jongh.
