Cape Town - The monkey is off Western Province coach Allister Coetzee’s back.
The log-leaders went into the Currie Cup final at Newlands on Saturday as favourites to beat the Lions, and win they did.
The final score was 19-16 as the Newlands faithful savoured the sweet taste of championship success for the first time since winning the competition in Cape Town in 2001.
It was the failure to cope with the pressure of the favourites tag that saw Province stumble out of the play-offs at home in 2009 and again in last year’s final.
In July, following a woeful Super Rugby season, WP president Thelo Wakefield issued an ultimatum.
Winning the Currie Cup was “non-negotiable”. And, on Saturday night, Coetzee delivered.
Rapturous applause welcomed WP captain Juan de Jongh on to the field for his 50th match before the crowd of 44 000 observed a moment of silence for the death of former Springbok captain Abie Malan and South Africa’s former 800m world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi.
A shrill blast of referee Craig Joubert’s whistle signalled the kick-off.
Both packs of forwards clattered into each other with reckless abandon for 80 minutes, while some of the game’s most elusive backs threatened to break the line every time they touched the ball.
In the end, No 12 Jaco Taute thundered across the line for Province while the Lions scored through fullback Jaco van der Walt. But it was the perfection of flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis – named man of the match after kicking four penalties and a conversion – who came through for Province.
Joubert’s final whistle triggered a mass field invasion by Province reserves and fans alike, and WP’s Cape Minstrels band remained surrounded by blue-and-white striped supporters on the pitch long after De Jongh and Catrakilis had raised the trophy and made their way to the dressing room.
Weekend Argus