DHL WP in Vodacom Cup Final Tonight
DHL WP will be playing in their first-ever Vodacom Cup final. But this team know how to win – in the last two seasons under Coach John Dobson, they’ve only lost once, in last year’s quarterfinals (they also drew one game in 2011).
It should be a massive game, Not only are GWK Griquas playing in their seventh Vodacom Cup final, but they are hosting their fourth and are aiming for their fifth title. And of the three finals they have hosted in Kimberley, in 1998, 2005 and 2007, GWK Griquas have never lost.
In this year’s competition these two sides not only came out tops in the two pools, but were also impressive in their playoff matches in the last fortnight, advancing to the final with relative ease.
Despite finishing top of the South Section and are the only unbeaten side in the competition, the venue of the final is, GWK Park, Kimberley, the venue of the top team from the North Section. This is in accordance to a decision taken last year that the venue of the final of the Vodacom Cup will alternate between north and south (should teams from the relevant section reach the final). Last year the final was held at the venue of the top team from the south that made the final (Pampas XV in Potch) and this year it is at the home ground of the top team from the north, GWK Griquas, that made the final (Kimberley).
Province are carrying a few injuries and have been depleted given injury based call ups to the DHL Stormers, but the team have travelled to Kimberley focussed and prepared for another huge effort. “Thank you for the massive support from the Faithful,” said Coach John Dobson. “I am very proud of this team’s efforts to date and we will be going all out to take the title and make everyone proud!”
GWK Griquas v DHL Western Province
Date: Friday, May 18 2012
Kick-off: 19:10
Venue: GWK Park, Kimberley
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge and Pieter Janse van Vuuren
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee
THE TEAMS:
GWK GRIQUAS: Francois Brummer, Rocco Jansen, PJ Vermeulen, Matthew Rosslee, Wilmaure Louw, Marnitz Boshoff, Jacques Coetzee; Leon Karemaker, Jonathan Adendorf, Jaco Nepgen, Ligtoring Landman, Edwin Hewitt, Lourens Adriaanse, Ryno Barnes (captain), Janro van Niekerk. Replacements: Simon Westraadt, Steph Roberts, Ivann Espag, Chase Minnaar, Marnus Hugo, Jean Stemmet, Rudi Vogt.
DHL WESTERN PROVINCE: Kurt Coleman, Danie Poolman, JP du Plessis, Marcel Brache, Ederies Arendse, Demetri Catrakilis, Nic Groom (vice-captain); Nick Fenton-Wells (captain), Tyrone Holmes, Rohan Kitshoff, Quinn Roux, Hilton Lobberts, Tom Botha, Sidney Tobias, Schalk Ferreira. Replacements (from): Rob Herring, Deon Carstens, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Reuben Johannes, Rick Schroeder, Mike van der Spuy, Berton Klaasen, Damian de Allende, Gerbrandt Grobler.
ROAD TO THE FINAL:
DHL WESTERN PROVINCE
10 March: beat Regent Boland Kavaliers 51-22 in Cape Town
17 March: beat the Sharks XV 17-15 in Durban
24 March: beat EP Kings 30-25 in Cape Town
31 March: beat Border Bulldogs 31-7 in East London
14 April: beat Pampas XV 20-16 in Stellenbosch
21 April: beat SWD Eagles 29-14 in Oudtshoorn
28 April: beat Toyota Free State XV 42-31 in Durbanville
5 May: beat MTN Golden Lions 58-34 in Cape Town (quarterfinal)
12 May: beat Ford Pumas 33-20 in Cape Town (semifinal)
GWK GRIQUAS
10 March: beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 36-17 in Pretoria
17 March: beat Griffons 55-10 in Kimberley
31 March: beat Ford Pumas 21-20 in Witbank
14 April: lost to MTN Golden Lions 35-30 in Kimberley
21 April: beat Leopards 42-40 in Potchefstroom
26 April: beat Valke 83-3 in Kimberley
4 May: beat Pampas XV 26-18 in Kimberley (quarterfinal)
11 May: beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 30-17 in Kimberley (semifinal)
VODACOM CUP FINALS:
1998: GWK Griquas beat MTN Golden Lions 57-0
1999: MTN Golden Lions beat GWK Griquas 73-7
2000: Toyota Free State XV beat GWK Griquas 44-24
2001: Vodacom Blue Bulls beat Regent Boland Kavaliers 42-24
2002: MTN Golden Lions beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 54-38
2003: MTN Golden Lions beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 26-17
2004: MTN Golden Lions beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 35-16
2005: GWK Griquas beat Leopards 27-25
2006: Valke beat Sharks XV 25-17
2007: GWK Griquas beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 33-29
2008: Vodacom Blue Bulls beat Toyota Free State XV 25-21
2009: GWK Griquas beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 28-19
2010: Vodacom Blue Bulls beat Toyota Free State XV 31-29
2011: Pampas XV beat Vodacom Blue Bulls 14-9
