Cape Town - Free State played a masterful tactical game to beat Western Province 16-11 at Newlands on Saturday and advance to their second consecutive Currie Cup final.

It was the second year running that they beat WP in a Cape Town semifinal and the match followed much the same pattern as last year's, with flyhalf Willem de Waal the key man behind a strong pack.

De Waal scored all the Cheetahs' points with a try, conversion and three penalties. They led 10-3 at half-time and the scoreline did not do justice to their dominance.

Free State played a smart tactical game, keeping WP pinned in their half with some astute kicking.

Province nevertheless took the lead against the run of play in the 13th minute when flyhalf Peter Grant succeeded with a penalty. However, De Waal, replied in kind five minutes later.

The two fly halves had contrasting fortunes, with a mistake by Grant leading directly to the converted try that separated the sides at half-time. Grant had a kick charged down by centre Barry Goodes, who fed De Waal for the touchdown under the posts.

Free State, however, had to see out the half with 14 men as flank Hendro Scholtz went mountaineering on Springbok No 8 Joe van Niekerk's neck. Referee Tappe Henning flashed the yellow card three minutes before the break and, in truth, Scholtz could count himself very lucky that it was not red.

Province had an opportunity to score on an overlap shortly afterwards, but flank Hendrik Gerber knocked. The Cheetahs' defence also held in their own 22-metre area as WP finished the half on the attack.

There were still seven minutes to go in the second half with the Cheetahs reduced to 14 men, but WP failed to make the advantage count.

De Waal added further penalties in the 48th and 52nd minutes and it was clear that they had WP's number.

Province went close in the end, but it was more than they deserved. The Cheetahs dominated the scrums and also poached several lineout balls.

Coach Kobus van der Merwe brought on Bolla Conradie to shake things up a bit and the nippy scrumhalf produced an inspired moment that drew WP within eight points with 15 minutes left.

With nine minutes to go, fullback Earl Rose succeeded with a penalty and Free State were forced to see the game out by desperately defending their line.

Replacement flyhalf Werner Greeff, who had come on for an out of sorts Grant, ran the show well and for a moment it looked as if they were going to pull off a Houdini act. But Free State turned them over twice in the dying stages and held on for a famous victory that prolonged veteran hooker Naka Drotske's career by one more game.

Their tight five emerged with a lot of credit. They scrummed particularly well and the lock pair of Barend Pieterse and Boela du Plooy contested well in the lineouts.

Scholtz, his moment of madness excluded, also worked well in a loose-trio unit with Springbok Juan Smith and Ryno van der Merwe. The latter played an exceptional game and frustrated WP at the rucks.

The home side never really got going and struggled to muster a reply as the Cheetahs continually probed for territory. There were some good counter-attacking moments from fullback Earl Rose and left wing Zhahier Ryland, but for the best part WP looked flat and can't look to next year's Super 14 with a great degree of confidence.

Scorers: WP: Try: Scrumhalf Bolla Conradie. Penalties: Grant, Rose.

Free State: Try: Flyhalf Willem de Waal. Conversion: De Waal. Penalties: De Waal (3). - Sapa

Try Scorers

Free State 16: Willem de Waal (34 min), a conversion and three penalties.

Western Provnce 11: Bolla Conradie (75 min), Peter Grant and Earl Rose each kicked a penalty.