A DHL Western Province Vodacom Cup XV claimed a 33-31 win over champion club side, Durbanville-Bellville, on Friday evening.

In a hard-fought and physical encounter at the Durb-Bell Fields, between an experimental DHL WP side and one of WP”s Community Cup sides, WP boss John Dobson was happy yet again to judge some of the talent at his disposal.

Dobson has given a lot of top club players game-time in the pre-season friendlies thus far as he looks to assemble the best team possible ahead of the 2013 Vodacom Cup season.

Before the game, Dobson explained: “This match is another step in the journey to expose more players to the WP structures.

“It”s a very young and largely amateur side, but having an experienced player like Bolla Conradie leading the team – and giving on-field guidance throughout – allows us to blood some new faces.”

Both sides scored five tries on the night, with the WP XV bouncing back nicely after trailing their hosts by 12-21 at half-time – that after playing against a strong wind in the first half.

Lock Gerbrandt Grobler led from the front in the pack, and was ably supported by both his locks on the online casino night, Jean Kleyn and Ryan Olivier, with Chevandre van Schoor and Craig Pheiffer enjoying good moments out wide amongst the backs.

Next Saturday, the DHL WP XV will take on a Boland Invitational XV selection at the Cape Town Stadium in a curtain-raiser to the annual Regent Boland Cavaliers-DHL Stormers pre-season friendly.

The WP-Boland match will kick-off at 12h30 and the Stormers-Boland game gets underway later at 14h45.

Tickets are priced at R50 and R75 and are available at Computicket, Shoprite and Shoprite Checkers. No tickets will be sold at the stadium on the day and the Fan Walk will be in operation.

The DHL WP Vodacom Cup selection team (v Durb-Bell): 15 Chevandre van Schoor, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Kyle Lombard, 11 Craig Pheiffer, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Johannes Conradie (captain), 8 Carel du Preez, 7 Vince Jobo, 6 Phillip Hopley, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Chris Heiberg, 2 Jody Reyneke, 1 Ashley Wells.
Reserves: 16 Johan Nel, 17 Wesley Chetty, 18 Christo van Wyk, 19 Ryan Olivier, 20 Jumbo Ulengo, 21 Gerhard Jordaan, 22 Ruan Mostert, 23 Elmo Thomas, 24 Stimela Mapaqua.