MONDAY, 9.40AM:
WESTERN PROVINCE on Saturday were crowned the Bankfin Currie Cup champions after they edged Free State 14-12 in a closely contested final at Newlands on Saturday evening.
Province coach Harry Viljoen was a happy man when he saw his young side lift up the trophy for the first time in 11 years.
Free State could have snatched an early lead, but Helgard Muller’s chip into the right corner was superbly gathered under pressure by Pieter Rossouw with Chris Badenhorst breathing down his neck. Free State broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when Jannie De Beer took a peanlty after Dick Muir was blown up for handling in the ruck. Three minutes later De Beer put the Cheetahs further ahead.
Louis Koen brought Province back into the game and his second penalty in the 33th minute and a dazzling try from Justin Swart two minutes later saw Province taking a 11-6 lead.
Koen landed his third kick of the evening in the 56th minute, but his excitement was shortlived as De Beer’s magnificent 48-metre effort sailed through the uprights to keep the visitors in contention at 14-9 with 17 minutes left. Koen pulled an attempted drop wide before Brendan Venter led a breakout deep into Province territory, which ended with Badenhorst just failing to gather his chip into the in-goal area.
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