DHL Western Province went down 58-32 against the Xerox Golden Lions in their Currie Cup clash at Emirates Airline Park on Friday.
The defending champions outscored the visitors by eight tries to four, to hand DHL Western Province their third defeat of the season.
The home side were first to score as a break from their own 22 saw outside centre Jacques Nel go over for the opening try, but DHL Western Province hit back with two penalties from flyhalf Rob du Preez to take a 6-5 lead after 10 minutes.
The Xerox Golden Lions went back in front with a penalty from their flyhalf Jaco van der Walt, and they extended that lead to 13-6 shortly afterwards when hooker Robbie Coetzee forced his way over for a try.
They followed that up with a counter-attack try which was finished off by fullback Andries Coetzee, and another penalty from Van der Walt shortly afterwards took their lead out to 23-6.
DHL Western Province regrouped and hit back with a try of their own from Leolin Zas who got the ball in space, chipped ahead and collected to score in the corner.
However, the hosts would have the final say in the first half as quick tries from lock JP du Preez and centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg gave them a commanding 37-13 lead at the half-time break.
The Golden Lions were first to score in the second half, with wing Anthony Volminck crossing for their sixth try, and that was followed up by another from Kwagga Smith to bring up their half-century.
DHL Western Province scored their second try when loose forward Jacques Vermeulen crashed over, and they added another from replacement scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage, but the Xerox Golden Lions responded through Smith who scored his second try.
To their credit, DHL Western Province never stopped fighting, and they were rewarded with the consolation of a bonus point when Vermeulen got over for his second try on the stroke of full-time.
The scorers:
For DHL Western Province:
Tries: Zas, Vermeulen 2, Duvenage
Cons: Du Preez 3
Pens: Du Preez 2
For Xerox Golden Lions:
Tries: Nel, R Coetzee, A Coetzee, Du Preez, Janse van Rensburg, Volminck, Smith 2
Cons: Van der Walt 6
Pens: Van der Walt 2
Teams:
DHL Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Werner Kok, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Chris van Zyl (captain), 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Mike Willemse, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 JP Smith, 19 Jacques Vermeulen, 20 Eital Bredenkamp, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Scott van Breda.
Xerox Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Selom Gavor, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Ross Cronjé (captain), 8 Fabian Booysen, 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Lourens Erasmus, 4 JP du Preez, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Dylan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Cyle Brink, 20 Ruaan Lerm, 21 Ashlon Davids, 22 Howard Mnisi.
