DHL Western Province U19 kicked off their campaign with a 31-26 win against Hollywoodbets Sharks U19 in Stellenbosch on Sunday.

Both teams scored four tries in an entertaining coastal clash on the Danie Craven Stadium B Field, with the hosts holding their nerve to take a full five log points.

DHL Western Province struck first when scrumhalf Cameron Whitson broke the defensive line to score under the poles. The Durban side responded with two tries of their own but the home side hit back with a try from prop Herman Lubbe and a penalty from flyhaf Dominic Malgas, which saw them take a 17-12 advantage into the half-time break.

Both teams lost players to the sin bin in the second half and once again it was DHL Western Province U19 to score first through lock Tamer Mousa, before the visitors came back with two more tries.

However, the home team showed composure when it mattered most as No.8 Sean van Ziyl scored the decisive try to hand them the win and get their campaign off to a flying start.

The scorers:

For DHL WP U19:
Tries: Whitson, Lubbe, Mousa, Van Ziyl
Cons: Malgas 4
Pen: Malgas

DHL WP U19: 15 Shaywan Blankenberg, 14 Jameel de Jongh, 13 Benito Goede, 12 Matthew Malherbe, 11 Siyabonga Ndlozi, 10 Dominic Malgas, 9 Cameron Whitson, 8 Sean van Ziyl, 7 Nqaba Nkonyeni, 6 AJ Fourie, 5 Danio Botha (captain), 4 Tamer Mousa, 3 Herman Lubbe, 2 Christian de Villiers, 1 Pedri de Wet.
Replacements: 16 Fumani Chauke, 17 Handre Groenewald, 18 Bradley Moroney, 19 CJ Gordon, 20 Chris Nel, 21 Clyde Frieslaar, 22 Enslin Claasen, 23 Dale Martin.