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DHL WP go down to Blue Bulls

PUBLISHED: August 5, 2016


DHL Western Province were beaten 45-26 by the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their opening Currie Cup encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

DHL Western Province were beaten 45-26 by the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their opening Currie Cup encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

Despite going scoreless in the first half, the visitors showed great fighting spirit to score four tries in the second half to claim a bonus point for their efforts.

After some tense opening exchanges the Vodacom Blue Bulls were first to strike with an early penalty from flyhalf Tian Schoeman.

DHL Western Province had a chance to level the scores soon afterwards, but Robert du Preez put his attempt on goal wide and the hosts would take their lead out to 10-0 after 20 minutes when scrumhalf Piet van Zyl finished off a counter attack.

DHL Western Province were dominant in the scrums, and managed to force their way into opposition territory where they tested the Vodacom Blue Bulls’ defence, but the hosts would be next to score when another counter attack saw lock Jason Jenkins burst through for their second try.

They followed that up soon afterwards with another try from lock Marvin Orie which gave the home side a 24-0 advantage at the half-time break.

The Vodacom Blue Bulls struck early in the second half as first right wing Jade Stighling and then left wing Jamba Ulengo crossed for tries.

DHL Western Province then launched an extended attack in Blue Bulls territory, and the pressure eventually told as replacement Johnny Kotze got over for a try to get them on the scoreboard.

To their credit DHL Western Province never let their heads drop, and they were rewarded with a second try when Leolin Zas raced through to collect a grubber and dot down, with Brandon Thomson’s touchline conversion making it 38-14.

They did not have to wait long for their third try either as Huw Jones broke through in midfield and easily rounded the last defender to score under the poles.

That left DHL Western Province chasing a bonus point in the final stages, and it came from fullback Scott van Breda who was put over the tryline by flank Jurie van Vuuren.

The Vodacom Blue Bulls had the final say though as fullback Bjorn Basson crossed for the last try of the match.

The scorers:

For DHL WP:
Tries: Kotze, Zas, Jones, Van Breda
Cons: Thomson 3

For Vodacom Blue Bulls:
Tries: Van Zyl, Jenkins, Orie, Stighling, Ulengo, Basson
Cons: Schoeman 6
Pen: Schoeman

DHL Western Province: 15 Scott van Breda, 14 Khanyo Ngcukana, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Daniel du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Jacques Vermeulen, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Chris van Zyl (captain), 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 JP Smith, 19 Kobus van Dyk, 20 Godlen Masimla, 21 Brandon Thomson, 22 Johnny Kotze.

Vodacom Blue Bulls: 15 Bjorn Basson, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Arno Botha (captain), 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Entienne Swanepoel, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Nqoba Mxoli, 18 Eli Snyman, 19 Hanro Liebenberg, 20 Andre Warner, 21 Tony Jantjies, 22 Dan Kriel.