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Kolisi keeps WP's reputation

Stephen Nell

Cape Town – Western Province will no doubt probably continue to emphasise the importance of winning the Currie Cup, but the true measure of their success this season may well lie in how many players they deliver for next year’s Super Rugby tournament.

To that end they can at least say that something was achieved in Saturday’s 26-all draw against Griquas at Newlands.

Siya Kolisi already proved himself an outstanding ball-carrier for the WP under-19 side in 2010.

The Currie Cup, of course, is a few steps higher, but when Jonathan Kaplan sounded the final whistle there was yet another outstanding product of the Western Province Rugby Institute in Stellenbosch to discuss.

The Port Elizabeth-born loose forward could already have made his Stormers debut in the Super Rugby semi-final against the Crusaders, but was the victim of an assault the previous weekend and Schalk Brits was called up as a result.

Kolisi looked so promising in his hooped jersey on Saturday that Capetonians will probably soon sing his praises rather than cry about Francois Louw’s move to Bath.

Kolisi, flyhalf Gary van Aswegen and veteran fullback Conrad Jantjes all starred for WP.

However, one can’t help but also be critical of the performance by WP.

Griquas had to make more than 100 tackles against the 36 of WP. That statistic shows that the home side played most of the rugby, yet had to be content with a draw.

The main reason for that is probably poor decision-making on attack. Rocco Jansen’s excellent tries for Griquas both had their origin in turnover possession.

The second was scored over the length of the field after it looked easier for WP to score a try than allow the ball to end up in Griquas’ hands.

Even Van Aswegen, who generally played superbly, was guilty of poor decision-making. Why kick the ball away when you are on the attack in your opponent’s 22-metre area?

It’s also a big source of concern that WP got a hiding in the set phases. The lineouts were particularly bad, but WP also folded in a scrum at a critical moment. It was reminiscent of the Stormers’ weak scrumming effort against the Crusaders.

Province were awarded a five-metre scrum after Griquas flyhalf Monty Dumond knocked the ball in his in-goal area. Rohan Kitshoff also knocked as he tried to score the try, but WP got a second chance with the scrum.

However, one almost got the impression that Griquas had Owen Franks and Wyatt Crockett on loan with the sped at which WP were in reverse gear.

The home side could still have clinched the game with a penalty in Griquas’ half in the last minute, but apparently the kick was too far for Demetri Catrakilis to attempt.

Would it not have been worthwhile trying? Or should WP not at least have kicked the ball out in Griquas’ 22-metre area instead of taking the tap?

That final bad option confirmed that the WP players deserved no more than to kiss their sisters on Saturday night.
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Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
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Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
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