DHL Western Province scored eight tries in their 55-27 win against Tafel Lager Griquas at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
It was a convincing performance from coach John Dobson’s team, which takes them to third position on the Currie Cup standings with five wins.
The teams traded penalties early on, before the visitors scored the first try, with wing Ederies Arendse intercepting and racing away to score in the corner.
DHL Western Province found themselves 13-3 down, but regrouped well and scored three unanswered tries to take a 24-13 lead into half-time.
Flank Cobus Wiese stretched to score from close range for the opening try, which was confirmed by the TMO and then converted from the touchline by Damian Willemse.
Hooker Chad Solomon was next to score from a powerful maul, before wing Werner Kok forced his way over in the same corner soon afterwards, with Willemse nailing both conversions from out wide.
Kok was first to score in the second half as he forced his way through the middle of the Griquas defence to score under the poles and secure the bonus point.
DHL Western Province were reduced to 14 men when prop Wilco Louw was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle and Griquas took advantage as scrumhalf Renier Botha scrambled over for their second try.
The hosts struck back as some hard work from the forwards saw replacement hooker Dean Muir score from a maul with 15 minutes left.
Kok was at it again as he burst clear before giving up his hat-trick by handing the ball to debutante Johan du Toit just in front of a clear tryline.
Griquas got a third try as centre Tertius Kruger burst through, but DHL Western Province hit back through replacement prop Caylib Oosthuizen who got over for two late tries to seal a comfortable win.
The scorers:
For DHL WP:
Tries: Wiese, Solomon, Kok 2, Muir, Du Toit, Oosthuizen 2
Cons: Willemse 3, Du Preez 2
Pen: Willemse
For Griquas:
Tries: Arendse, Botha
Cons: Whitehead 2
Pens: Whitehead 2
DHL Western Province: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Werner Kok, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Chris van Zyl (captain, 50th DHL WP cap), 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Dean Muir, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Johan du Toit, 19 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 20 Justin Phillips, 21 Robert du Preez, 22 Dan Kriel.
Tafel Lager Griquas: 15 Eric Zana, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Kyle Steyn, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Enver Brandt, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Renier Botha, 8 Kevin Kaba, 7 Sias Koen (captain), 6 De Wet Kruger, 5 Jonathan Janse van Rensburg, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Nicolaas Oosthuizen, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Devon Martinus.
Replacements: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Liam Hendricks, 18 Shaun McDonald, 19 Conway Pretorius, 20 Christiaan Meyer, 22 Christopher Bosch, 23 AJ Coertzen.
