DHL Western Province scored six tries in their 41-26 SuperSport Rugby Challenge clash with SWD Eagles at Brookside, to end the league phase of the competition unbeaten.
Head Coach John Dobson’s team showed good composure in the final stages to pull away from the visitors and maintain their unbeaten record in the competition to take some winning momentum into the play-offs next week.
DHL Western Province opened the scoring early on, with inside centre Dan du Plessis gliding through a gap to go over for the opening try.
The teams then traded penalties before DHL Western Province scored their second try, with EW Viljoen cruising over out wide after the ball had been won at a restart.
The third try came from No.8 Juarno Agustus who powered over from close range after some neat work from Viljoen and wing Edwill van der Merwe out wide.
The bonus point try came short;y afterwards, with flyhalf Josh Stander crossing and then converting his own try to make it 29-9.
The visitors would have the final say in the first half with scrumhalf Johan Steyn scoring their first try, but DHL Western Province took a comfortable 29-16 advantage into the break.
SWD Eagles struck first in the second half, with flank Nicolaas Immelman crashing over from close range before fullback Leighton Eksteen slotted a penalty to bring them within three points of the hosts.
DHL Western Province hit back with their fifth try, as a textbook driving maul saw replacement hooker Dean Muir crash over to make it 34-26 with 20 minutes left.
A few powerful scrums saw DHL Western Province awarded a penalty try in the final stages, to wrap up a 15-point victory and end the league phase of the competition unbeaten.
The scorers:
For DHL WP:
Tries: Du Plessis, Viljoen, Augustus, Stander, Muir, penalty try
Cons: Stander 3
Pen: Stander
For SWD Eagles:
Tries: Steyn, Immelman
Con: Eksteen
Pens: Eksteen 4
DHL Western Province: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Josh Stander, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Johan du Toit, 6 Luke Stringer (captain), 5 Cobus Wiese, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Dean Muir, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Steph de Wit, 20 Marno Redelinghuys, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Dan Kriel.
