DHL Western Province began their 2015 Vodacom Cup campaign with a 25-10 win over the Boland Cavaliers at the Caledon Sports Ground on Saturday afternoon.
No.8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, one of seven players with Vodacom Super Rugby experience, scored all four of his team’s tries as DHL WP began the new season with a bonus point triumph against their provincial neighbours.
After an all-action opening 20 minutes the game slowed down considerably and the only further action saw Boland flanker Freginald Africa yellow-carded.
DHL WP flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis – on debut – kicked a penalty to go with an earlier conversion and the score of 15-7 remained until the half-time interval.
The second half continued where the first left off in terms of non-scoring before Zana made it 15-10 with a penalty after 55 minutes.
Notshe then went over for his third try and suddenly Province could think of not only the victory but also of a possible bonus point.
A rash of substitutions threatened to stop the rhythm that the DHL Western Province had generated but the sublime Notshe scored his team’s vital fourth try three minutes from full-time.
The scorers:
For the Boland Cavaliers:
Try: Annandale
Con: Zana
Pen: Zana
For DHL Western Province:
Tries: Notshe 4
Con: J du Plessis
Pen: J du Plessis
The DHL Western Province team (v Boland): 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Willy Ambaka, 13 Pat Howard (vice-captain), 12 Kyle Lombard, 11 Mat Turner, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Michael Willemse (captain), 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Frans van Wyk, 18 Luke van der Smit, 19 Rayn Smid, 20 SP Ferreira, 21 Ryno Eksteen, 22 Tshotsho Mbovane.
Referee: Jaco Pretorius
Assistant referees: Jabian Jeftha, Local