Western Province vs. Golden Lions: Winners and Losers from Currie Cup Final

Western Province rode a storm of second-half pressure from the Golden Lions to claim this year's Currie Cup title, beating their foes 19-16 in front of a Cape Town crowd on Saturday.

Jaco Taute's first-half try put the home outfit on course to victory, and despite Jaco van der Walt managing to cross over for the visitors in the second period, Western Province hung on for the win.

Find out which players and areas of each team held up their side of the championship bargain, as we discuss the winners and losers of the 2014 Currie Cup final.

Winner: Demetri Catrakilis Prevails in Fly-Half Struggle

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It was always a possibility that kicking would decide the tie, and as much as we may have wanted an open and extravagant crescendo, it was ultimately these few moments of calm that turned the fixture.

And in that regard, Demetri Catrakilis stood out as the coolest of all, notching 14 points from the tee to finish this year's contest as joint-overall points scorer alongside the Bulls' Jacques-Louis Potgieter.

Catrakilis' task was especially tough in that opposite number Marnitz Boshoff had Ruan Combrinck backing him up as an ample alternative in certain kicking scenarios, while he was left to take care of Western Province's chances on his own.

It turned out to be enough for the playmaker, who put away all five of his attempted kicks to steer his team to glory at the final time of asking.

Loser: Lions Caged by Lack of Initiative

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The Lions will be kicking themselves that they were unable to muster the same quality shown during the second half earlier in the day, having gone in at the break 13-0 down.

They outscored their opposition 16-3 in the second half, but it was still a crippling case of "too little, too late" as far as their dreams to claim the title go.

Something evidently clicked with Johan Ackermann's men at half-time, and their tactics in taking chances were more clinical during the second period.

Had they shown the same pragmatism and breakdown restraint over the course of the opening 40 minutes, we might have been speaking about them as reigning champions.

Winner: Western Province's Non-Internationals Rise to the Occasion

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With Western Province now officially the top team in South Africa's domestic ranks, one might expect their Super Rugby equivalents the Stormers to thrive in the upcoming season.

But things aren't that simple.

It's a disappointing truth that had South Africa's internationals all been available for selection in the contest, one might not look at the Cape Town giants as the same marauding powerhouse.

The fact is, this Western Province side coped with the loss of what internationals they do have best, because those departing weren't as good as their equivalents from the rest of the Currie Cup field.

However, though it may sound like one, it's no insult to the franchise. It shows a wealth of localised talent capable of potentially making that next step up into the Super Rugby and international ranks, thriving on a stage not far off that level in the slightest.

Loser: Cruel Wind Ends Visitors' Comeback Aspirations

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Boshoff will blame a southeasterly wind for spoiling his chances of completing a Lions comeback at Newlands on Saturday, having spurned a last-minute chance to tie the game at 19 points apiece.

It's both right and wrong to show such regret for the Lions' cause; right in knowing that the elements played their role in defeat, but wrong due to the fact Western Province had the exact same weather to compete with across the day.

At present, the Lions may be downtrodden for the manner in which their final chance went wide of the posts, sailing away with all Currie Cup chances they envisioned would bring them glory.

However, this is the game at its finest, and in another world, the chance would have been theirs to take advantage of.

Winner: Newlands' Home Support

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Cape Town will be abuzz with the win that their representatives have managed to claim on home soil, the culmination of an entire tournament's hard work falling into place all at once.

The Lions outscored Western Province this season, but it's difficult to argue that the first-place finishers were anything other than the most deserving team.

The last two-and-a-half months have been long and gruelling, and the opportunity to play the final at home was an advantage earned by Allister Coetzee's men, and it ultimately had its impact.

This victory goes down as particularly sweet, with the hosts earning their fans' adoration under intense pressure.