DHL Western Province U21 started their season with a 29-29 draw against Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
DHL Western Province U21 started their season with a 29-29 draw against Vodacom Blue Bulls U21 at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
The visitors scored two tries in each half, and looked to have the game wrapped up heading into the final stages, but two late tries from the home side saw the teams share the spoils.
The match got off to a breathless start with both teams crossing for tries in the opening stages. The home side scored first, but DHL Western Province U21 hit back as some slick hands and quick stepping out wide saw fullback Grant Hermanus score in the corner to level the scores at 5-5.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls went back in front through a penalty on the 20 minute mark, but the visitors responded with a second try as No.8 Jaco Coetzee barged over after centre Ryan Oosthuizen had been stopped just short of the tryline.
The seesaw nature of the match continued as the home side hit back with a try on the counter attack to put them 15-12 ahead at the half-time break.
DHL Western Province U21 started the second half in fine style as the ball was sent wide to wing Sibahle Maxwane who collected his own chip to score and give his side a 19-15 advantage.
They followed that up soon afterwards with a penalty from Hermanus to take their lead out to seven points, and they would not have to wait long for their fourth try as tighthead prop Frans van Wyk forced his way over the whitewash to make it 29-15 with 20 minutes to play.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls hit back with two quick tries which levelled the scores at 29-29 with just under 10 minutes to play, and although both teams had chances to snatch the win they would both send their penalty attempts wide to end in a deadlock.
The scorers:
For DHL WP U21:
Tries: Hermanus, Coetzee, Maxwane, Van Wyk
Cons: Hermanus 2
Pen: Hermanus
DHL Western Province U21: 15 Grant Hermanus, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Ryan Oosthuizen, 11 Sibahle Maxwane, 10 Dennis Cox, 9 Justin Phillips, 8 Jaco Coetzee, 7 Luke Stringer (captain), 6 Rikus Bothma, 5 David Ribbans, 4 Eduard Zandberg, 3 Frans van Wyk, 2 Percy Mngadi, 1 Kyle Whyte.
Replacements: 16 Hanno Snyman, 17 Michael Kumbirai, 18 Gary Porter, 19 Saud Abrahams, 20 Herschel Jantjies, 21 Justin Heunis, 22 Tiaan Swanepoel.
Vodacom Blue Bulls U21: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Keanan van Wyk, 13 Franco Naude, 12 JT Jackson, 11 Dewald Naude, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Juanre Swanepoel, 7 Abongile Nonkontwana (captain), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Aston Fortuin, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Matthys Basson, 2 Alandre van Rooyen, 1 Njabula Gumede.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Stefaan Grundlingh, 18 Samuel Mitchell, 19 Dean van der Westhuizen, 20 Theo Maree, 21 Kurt Webster, 22 Adrian Maebane.