MWP, Port Elizabeth | Saturday 6.30pm.
WESTERN Province ended their run of three sucessive defeats but they were as convincing as a Bill Clinton denial on Monica Lewinsky as they grimly clung on for a one-point win over the Falcons.
Province led 17-3 midway through the first half but it’s a measure of how low they have sunk this season that they almost blew this one in the final ten minutes.
Falcons flyhalf Rynhard van As pounced on a mistake in midfield to hack ahead and touch down and put his side into the lead for the first time when he converted from the touchline to give his side a 27-25 lead with three minutes remaining.
Braam van Straaten’s desperatre 50-metre attempt to put Province back into the lead a minute later fell short but Province heaved a huge sigh of relief when Louis Koen kicked his fifth goal from seven attempts when the Falcons infringed in front of their own posts.
But it wasn’t quite over. With time expired flanker Arno Barnard hacked ahead and appeared to be about to score the winning try until the ball bounced kindly for Dan van Zyl – the only Province player within 20 metres – to collect and touch down to set off the final whistle.
Phew.
Both sides scored three tries and the Falcons took a point for losing by fewer than seven points but should have been shut out the game much earlier.
Meanwhile Bob Skinstad played the first 40 minutes without any ill effects although he had little impact on the game and looked understandfably short of match fitness. — MWP
Scorers:
Western Province – Tries: Jeffrey Stevens, Gus Theron, Thinus Linee. Conversions: Louis Koen (2). Penalties: Koen (3)
Falcons: Tries – Len van Riet, Peet van Deventer, Rynhard van As. Conversions: Van As (3). Penalties: Christo Potgieter, Van As.