What was billed to be an exciting match with both team renowned for their exciting running rugby turned out to be a proper slug-fest at a wet, cold and windy Newlands.

Rain turned out to be the big winner and leveller on the day with the match producing moments of excitement, but it came down to discipline.

The visitors when into the break with a 3-0 lead after Fred Zeilinga landed a 17th minute penalty. But if could have been Province taking the lead had they opted to take their shots instead of setting up line-outs.

Prop Wilco Louw came close to scoring right next to the uprights for the home team, however, the TMO got the referral wrong by calling it a double movement, but it was clearly momentum on the wet field which helped the player over.

If could have been even worse for the Cheetahs if Province managed to make use of their numerical advantage shortly before the half-time break after centre Rayno Benjamin was sent to the sin bin for a trip which the TMO labelled a “kick”.

Discipline started letting the Cheetahs down in the second half and in the 53rd minute, flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis levelled the match with a penalty.

Four minutes later Province took the lead via the boot of Catrakilis with the player landing his second shot before replacement loose-forward, Gerhard Oliver also got binned for cynical play.

Catrakilis landed the subsequent penalty which also proved to be the defining score in the match giving men in blue-and-white hoops a 9-3 lead in the 59th minute.

The versatile Henco Venter also received his marching orders for cleaning Nizaam Carr out around the neck. This saw the player join his Shimlas teammate Oliver on the bench for 10 minutes and the Cheetahs with just 13 players on the park.

The last five minutes of the game saw the Cheetahs attack more after being starved of possession for the majority of the match and had it not been for a late ankle tap, Franco Smith’s side could have been heading home with a win.

Following good work by Raymond Rhule with and offload to Clayton Blommetjies and final pass to Benjamin, the side came oh so close to scoring what would have been the match winner, but Kurt Coleman’s finely and executed ankle tap, saw Benjamin drop in front of the white-wash and lose the ball.

The lineouts this week were much better for the Cheetahs, however, Province loosehead prop Oli Kebble proved to be handful and was instrumental in the home side’s scrum dominating the Cheetahs in the setpiece.

The Griquas dominated that Blue Bulls scrum on Friday evening during their 36-12 loss at Loftus Versfeld and it’s something Smith and his boys will want to remedy during the course of the week.

The Peacock Blues host the Cheetahs next week Friday in the derby match at Griquas Park with kick-off in Kimberley at 19:10.

Scorers:

Western Province: 9 (0) Pen. – Demetri Catrakilis 3.

FS Cheetahs: 3 (3) Pen. – Fred Zeilinga.

Morgan Piek / OFM News