Ken Borland

Western Province snatched a last-minute 31-29 win over the Free State Cheetahs in their Currie Cup match in Bloemfontein on Saturday, in what may turn out to be a landmark moment in the careers of flyhalf Tim Swiel and tighthead prop Neethling Fouche.

The 27-year-old Fouche is a journeyman who went from Grey College in Bloemfontein to the University of Pretoria, but failed to cement a place with the Bulls. He then joined Western Province but has again only enjoyed sporadic appearances. On Saturday, coming on as a replacement for the formidable Frans Malherbe, Fouche conceded a scrum penalty to Free State’s behemoth loosehead Boan Venter, which allowed the Cheetahs to snatch a 29-28 lead.

But with the final hooter imminent, Western Province were awarded a scrum and Fouche managed to turn the tables and win a penalty against Venter.

Step up Swiel, also 27 and who played nine times each for Western Province and the Sharks, before heading back to England, where he was born, in 2014 to play for Harlequins and Newcastle. He returned to Cape Town this year but initially had to play second fiddle while the more flamboyant talents of Damian Willemse were tried at flyhalf.

But on Saturday, from 49 metres out and on an angle, Swiel was able to land the penalty and keep Western Province on course for a home semi-final; if he had missed, they would have slipped to fourth on the log and been in danger of missing the playoffs all together. His kick has also ended Free State’s hopes of defending their Currie Cup title.

Swiel had earlier landed six other penalties as Western Province punished the ill-discipline of the Cheetahs and took a 23-9 lead after 53 minutes.

But then Free State wing Rosko Specman made his mark, first of all sparking the counter-attack, Venter showing his all-round skills with a good run and slick hands, which allowed the home side to kick a penalty to touch, setting the rolling maul from which hooker Wilmar Arnoldi scored.

Two minutes later, fullback Clayton Blommetjies fielded a kick ahead by Western Province around the halfway line and sliced through a gap in the chase line, before feeding Specman, who raced away to score and suddenly the match was all square at 23-23.

It was an astonishing comeback because for most of the first hour, Western Province had looked in firm control. Their industrial-strength scrum and the Cheetahs’ own ill discipline was earning them a steady flow of penalties. As the first half came to an end, it was still a tightly-fought contest on the scoreboard though with the visitors only 12-9 ahead.

But a massive eight-man scrum allowed Swiel to kick a penalty deep inside the Free State 22. Hardworking loose forward Jaco Coetzee then burst around the front of the lineout and, with the Cheetahs expecting a maul, there was only one defender in front of him, the poor scrumhalf, and he blasted over for the try to give Western Province a 17-9 lead at the break.

Two offsides penalties early in the second half stretched that to 23-9 and the contest looked over. But Free State mounted a ferocious comeback and Western Province were hard-pressed to hold their nerve in the end.

Scorers

Free State Cheetahs – Tries: Wilmar Arnoldi, Rosko Specman. Conversions: Francois Steyn (2). Penalties: Steyn (5).

Western Province – Tries: Jaco Coetzee, Bongi Mbonambi. Penalties: Tim Swiel (7).

*Lions fullback Tiaan Swanepoel will return from Nelspruit with 22 points in his property as he spearheaded their 33-25 win over the Pumas on Saturday.

The hard-fought triumph means the Lions are still in the hunt for a home semi-final, with Swanepoel’s two tries and four penalties playing the major role in that.

*The Sharks posted a comprehensive 47-19 win over Griquas in Durban which ended their two-match losing streak.

They are now level with the Lions on 33 points, two points behind the Bulls and Western Province.

Next week’s matches between the Bulls and Lions and Western Province and the Sharks will be crucial in deciding who gets home semi-finals.