DHL Western Province showed great character to score three second-half tries, but it was not enough to avoid a 40-21 defeat against the Vodacom Bulls at DHL Stadium on Wednesday.
Having gone into half-time trailing 28-0, DHL Western Province won the second half 21-12, showing good fighting spirit in front of the Faithful.
The visitors got on the front foot early and opened the scoring when James Verity-Amm went through for the first try.
They followed that up soon afterwards with a second through wing Canon Moodie, with Morne Steyn converting both tries.
DHL Western Province were reduced to 14 when No.8 Keke Morabe was shown a yellow card for a cynical infringement and the Vodacom Bulls took advantage with a try from prop Simphiwe Matanzima.
The Pretoria side had the upper hand in the set-pieces and their fourth try came off the back of a line-out as flank Cyle Brink’s drive to the line was confirmed as a try by the TMO.
DHL Western Province started to make some inroads towards the end of the first half, but could not find the finishing touch as the visitors took a 28-0 lead into the half-time break.
DHL Western Province made a determined start to the second half and spent some time in the 22, but a series of set-piece penalties put the Vodacom Bulls in position and hooker Bismarck du Plessis scored from a maul.
The home side kept fighting and came within inches of scoring, but the ball was lost forward on the tryline and the Vodacom Bulls were able to break out, with scrumhalf Marco Jansen van Vuuren going over for their sixth try.
DHL Western Province were eventually rewarded for their efforts when skipper Xaba got the ball over the whitewash to get them on the scoreboard.
The home side refused to stop playing and they managed to score another two tries at the death. Firs Tristan Leyds chased a box kick and then won the race to the ball he had toed ahead to score before flank Marcel Theunissen forced his way over after the hooter.
The scorers:
For DHL WP:
Tries: Xaba, Leyds, Theunissen
Cons: Swiel 2, Schreuder
For Vodacom Bulls:
Tries: Verity-Amm, Moodie, Matanzima, Brink, Du Plessis, Jansen van Vuuren
Cons: Steyn 5
DHL Western Province: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Leolin Zas, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Paschal Ekeji, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 Simon Miller, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Kwenzo Blose.
Replacements: 16 Jacques Goosen, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Jarrod Taylor, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Chris Schreuder, 23 Mnombo Zwelendaba.
Vodacom Bulls: James Verity-Amm; Canan Moodie, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Sibongile Novuka, Morne Steyn, Marco Jansen van Vuren; Muller Uys, Cyle Brink, Marcell Coetzee, Janko Swanepoel, Sintu Manjezi, Robert Hunt, Bismarck du Plessis, Simphiwe Matanzima.
Replacements: Schalk Erasmus, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Sebastian Lombard, Reinhardt Ludwig, WJ Steenkamp, Keagan Johannes, FC Du Plessis, Stedman Gans.