DAVID SHAPSHAK, Johannesburg | Saturday 4.00pm
CATS captain Johan Erasmus scored a try and set up three others for a surprise upset 54-31 win over defending Super 12 champions the Canterbury Crusaders six tries to three at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The home team also managed to hold off a late charge with 14 men in the last quarter of an hour, that saw their lead reduced from 17 point reduced just three.
The bottom of the table Cats led 27-12 at the break, thanks to three first half tries made by man-of-the-match “Rassie” Erasmus.
But flyhalf Louis Koen made a huge contribution of his own: kicking 24 points through six conversions, three penalties and a drop goal to ensure his side still has an outside chance of making the semi-finals.
In just the second minute, he broke from loose play that set up a ruck within metres of the line. Scrumhalf Werner Swanepoel darted in with relative ease
Then, 13 minutes later, the prolific Springbok flank charged down an Andrew Mehrtens’ clearance, collected and set Japie Mulder away to score under the posts.
For the third, Erasmus hacked a loose ball ahead from behind a Crusader maul, then collected and passed to Andre Vos who offloaded to centre Grante Esterhuisen. Flyhalf Louis Koen converted all three, then calmly added a drop goal and a penalty.
But while the Cats dominated the first half, they foolishly gave away four penalties for offside infringements at the maul, all from kickable positions in their own half, which the sure-footed Merhtens slotted to keep his side in the game.
Two minutes after the restart, Erasmus crowned his sterling support performance with a fourth try, claiming a vital bonus point. Koen converted
Canterbury prop David Hewett crossed the line for the first time after 48 minutes, although Merhtens pushed it wide of the posts.
But when replacement centre Hennie le Roux was yellow-carded for a professional foul, with 15 minutes left on the board, the Crusaders stormed back into the game.
Afato So’oalo scored a try from a clearly forward pass, which Merhtens converted to bring the deficit down to 10 points.
Then just two minute later a Leon McDonald try and Merhtens conversion pulled it back to 34-31.
Although Koen missed two further penalties, he slotted two late three pointers to stretch the lead back to six then nine points.
Fullback Thinus Delport scored twice, coming into the line then running almost the entire field from turn-over inside the Cats 22, to seal the victory. Koen converted twice to stretch the lead to 54-31.
Coach Laurie Mains’ will be satisfied that the Cats secured five log points, although they are still unlikely to make the play-offs after a poor run of form so far.