DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee was happy with his team’s ‘tough’ win against the formerly unbeaten Xerox Golden Lions in Absa Currie Cup action at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
DHL WP scored three tries to one in a tough match, which they eventually won 27-14 – as the hosts took their try-scoring chances to remain unbeaten in the competition and clinch first place on the log in the process.
Coetzee told www.wprugby.com after his team’s Round Three victory: “It was a tough game, a proper Absa Currie Cup match but I’m very pleased with the win.
“This a top quality Lions team, so it’s pleasing for us on many levels – including the continued improvement in our game.
“The Lions put us under tremendous pressure later in the match… and there were not many opportunities again,” Coetzee added, “it took really hard work for us to survive in what was a tough game.”
Province led by 14-8 at half-time, with right-wing Kobus van Wyk having scored his first two Absa Currie Cup tries within five minutes of each other between the 11th and 16th minutes.
The Lions opened their tally in the 30th minute, via a Ruan Combrinck penalty goal, before the selfsame Combrinck fed fullback Andries Coetzee shortly before half-time to put his team within seven points.
At one stage in the second half DHL WP led 20-14, before a 73rd-minute try by replacement back Jaco Taute – his first in Blue & White hoops – extended the hosts’ lead and sealed their third victory in a row.
The DHL Western Province coach added: “We were under a lot of pressure especially after half-time but we had scrum stability, so much so that we held our own even when we were on our own goalline.
“We did not get a bonus-point try but it was equally relevant that we prevented them from getting a bonus point (for losing by seven of less points) when the score was 20-14 with a few minutes playing time left.”
All three WP teams playing at DHL Newlands on Saturday picked up victories over the Lions, at Under-19, Under-21 and senior team level, with Province now topping the logs across every level of Absa Provincial tournaments.
“The true Faithful came out to support us at DHL Newlands, all three our teams (all of whom won today), despite people’s busy schedules and loads of (other) sport on the go,” said Coetzee, lauding Saturday’s 14,325-strong crowd. “To them, thanks a lot!”
DHL Western Province will travel to Pretoria next weekend to take on the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld – in Round Four action – on Saturday (kick-off 17h05).