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DHL WP Under-21s win high-scoring Jo’burg thriller

PUBLISHED: September 13, 2014


DHL Western Province’s Under-21 team got back to winning ways with a 43-42 win over the Xerox Golden Lions in a thrilling Absa Provincial Under-21 encounter at Ellis Park.

The DHL WP Under-21s have lost just once this year but found themselves trailing 0-14 early on, before John Dobson’s side scored an incredible 38 unanswered points to set up what looked like a whopping victory.

However, the Lions, as they did at DHL Newlands a few weeks ago, fought back strongly to push Province all the way until full-time.

In the end, however, it was a deserved win for the DHL WP Under-21s who scored six outstanding tries – the highlight being fullback EW Viljoen’s five-pointer on the stroke of half-time, as the visitors went into the break 24-14 up.

Right-wing Lihleli Xoli completed his brace just three minutes into half-time when prop Deacon Chowles rumbled over in the 50th minute it looked well and truly over for the hosts.

Left-wing JP Lewis scored a well-taken try to join Xoli on the scoresheet before the start of the final quarter and Province endured a few nervous moments in the end before closing out for the 43-42 win.

The win, the DHL WP Under-21 team’s seventh of the season saw them remain in second place on the 2014 Absa Provincial Under-21 log (with 34 points) but with a game in hand over the table-topping Lions (37 points).

Province, the 2013 champions, will host the Border Under-21s at City Park next Saturday.

The scorers:

For Golden Lions Under-21:
Tries: Stander 2, Smith, Hewitt 2, Du Plessis
Cons: Deale 3, Hewitt 2

For DHL Western Province Under-21:
Tries: C du Preez, Xoli 2, Viljoen, Chowles, Lewis
Cons: R du Preez 5
Pen: R du Preez

The teams:

Xerox Golden Lions Under-21: 15 Hanco Deale, 14 Selom Gavor, 13 Koch Marx, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Damian Engeldoe, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Ruan van Rensburg, 8 Chris Newman, 7 Victor Sekekete, 6 Arthur de Wee, 5 Jannie Stander, 4 JP du Preez, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Johan Snyman, 1 Dylan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Quinisile Siphatho Liyabona, 17 Nico du Plessis, 18 Ramone Samuels, 19 Michael Haznar, 20 Andre du Plessis, 21 Brandan Hewitt, 22 Caswell Khoza.

DHL Western Province Under-21: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Lihleli Xoli, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Kyle Lombard, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Carel du Preez, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Eital Bredenkamp (captain), 5 Jan Uys, 4 Sebastian Ferreira, 3 Deacon Chowles, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 John Meyer, 18 Tapiwa Tsomondo, 19 Justin Benn, 20 SP Ferreira, 21 Janco Gunter, 22 WJ Strydom.

Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)