DHL Western Province suffered their first loss of the 2014 Absa Currie Cup season but the Men from the Cape remain on top of the standings after six rounds of action.

DHL WP went down 33-35 to the Xerox Golden Lions at Ellis Park, but they still hold a four-point lead over the selfsame – and second-placed – Lions who moved up a place on the log after the Pumas also tasted defeat this weekend.

Province started the match strongly as a brilliantly-taken Juan de Jongh try – from a Cheslin Kolbe break down the blindside – saw them lead for most of the first half after an early Golden Lions try.

However, the Lions scored their second try of the night on the stroke of half-time – through Lionel Mapoe – to take the lead at 14-13 going into the break.

Two penalty goals from Kurt Coleman saw DHL WP regain the lead at 19-13 after 52 minutes, but a flurry of Lions tries between the 53rd and 68th minutes – all converted by Ruan Combrinck – saw the hosts into a seemingly unassailable 35-19 lead.

But Province teams will never give up and this side did not stop fighting until the final whistle, as replacement Justin Geduld and hard-working flanker Michael Rhodes crashed over for late scores to secure the losing bonus point.

Cheslin Kolbe and Demetri Catrakilis kicked the final two conversions as DHL WP were left wondering what might have been had they not conceded those three tries between the 53rd and 68th minutes.

However, the log leaders have the opportunity to put things right at home next weekend when they host Griquas at DHL Newlands.

DHL WP skipper Juan de Jongh said afterwards: “It was an exciting game, but it wasn’t meant to be for us on the night, I guess.

“I’d like to thank all the away support in the crowd, they made a lot of noise, and we will bounce back at home at DHL Newlands next weekend.”

The scorers:

For the Xerox Golden Lions:
Tries: S van der Merwe, Mapoe, A van der Merwe, Kriel, Mostert
Cons: Combrinck 5

For DHL Western Province:
Tries: De Jongh, Geduld, Rhodes
Cons: Coleman, Kolbe, Catrakilis
Pens: Coleman 4

The teams:

Xerox Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe (captain), 12 Stokkies Hanekom, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Ricky Schroeder, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Kwagga Smith, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Martin Muller, 20 Warwick Tecklenburg, 21 Mark Richards, 22 Howard Mnisi.

DHL Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Pat Howard, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Stephan Coetzee, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Manuel Carizza, 19 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 20 Godlen Masimla, 21 Demetri Catrakilis, 22 Justin Geduld.

Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Federico Anselmi (Argentina), Tahla Ntshakaza
Television Match Official: Willie Vos