The DHL Western Province Under-21s recorded a dominant 22-0 win over the Free State Cheetahs Under-21s at DHL Newlands on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts led by just 3-0 at half-time, with flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis kicking a penalty goal just before the break, but they dominated the second half and scored three tries to pick up their fourth win of the 2015 season.
Having beaten the EP Kings, the Lions and the Leopards in successive weeks, the Robbie Fleck-coached side made it four from five this season in poor weather conditions.
With drizzle threatening the entire match, and the conditions being cold out there on the DHL Newlands turf, the DHL WP U21s showed great patience to subdue their opponents and land the killer blows when it mattered most. Their defence, too, was watertight as they repelled any potential Cheetahs attacks.
The DHL WP Under-21s’ tries were scored by fullback Grant Hermanus and replacements, hooker Martin Wipplinger and flanker Luke van der Smit.
Flyhalf Du Plessis, who combined well with his dangerous cousin, inside centre Daniel, kicked two conversions to go with his first-half penalty.
The DHL Western Province U21s will take on the Blue Bulls in Pretoria next Saturday, hoping to build on their current second-place position on the Absa Provincial U21 log.
The scorers:
For DHL Western Province Under-21:
Tries: Hermanus, Wipplinger, Van der Smit
Cons: J du Plessis 2
Pen: J du Plessis
DHL Western Province Under-21: 15 Grant Hermanus, 14 Khanyo Ngcukana, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Daniel du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis (vice-captain), 9 SP Ferreira, 8 Rikus Bothma (captain), 7 Christo van der Merwe, 6 Luke Stringer, 5 David Ribbans, 4 Johannes Momsen, 3 Frans van Wyk, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Wesley Adonis.
Replacements: 16 Martin Wipplinger, 17 Liam Hendricks, 18 Devon Nash, 19 Luke van der Smit, 20 Justin Phillips, 21 Ryno Eksteen, 22 Sibahle Maxwane.
Free State Cheetahs Under-21: 15 Henry Immelman, 14 Carel Jan Coetzee, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Stephen Janse van Rensburg (captain), 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Andre Swarts, 9 Louis Venter, 8 Steven Meiring, 7 Nardus Erasmus, 6 Ntokozo Vidima, 5 Justin Basson, 4 Boela Venter, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Gunther Janse van Vuuren.
Replacements: 16 Reinach Venter, 17 Willem Eloff, 18 Johan Grundlingh, 19 Jasper Wiese, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Arrie Vosloo, 22 Ali Mgijima.
Referee: AJ Jacobs