DHL WP get their Carling Currie Cup campaign underway today against the Sigma Lions in a home game at DHL Stadium. Follow all the action here with our live updates.
This is the first DHL Western Province game since 2019 in front of the Faithful, so the team will be keen to put together a convincing display against the Johannesburg side.
0 – DHL WP’s Carling Currie Cup campaign has kicked off in front of the Faithful in the sunshine here at DHL Stadium.
3 – Lions go offside early and Swiel kicks it into the corner. A maul takes it close before Adre Smith powers over for the opening try on debut to put DHL WP up 7-0.
6 – DHL WP on the attack again as they burst out of their own 22. Front-foot ball and Swiel puts a grubber through for Davids to chase, he grounds it, but the TMO says the ball was touch in-goal.
10 – Lions on the attack after a 50-22 kick and they score from the maul. DHL WP lead 7-5.
15 – Sigma Lions caught offside so the kicking tee comes on and Tim Swiel splits the uprights to extend the lead for DHL WP to 10-5.
20 – Lions with another maul which wins them a penalty, flyhalf Vaughen Isaacs has a shot at goal and reduces DHL WP’s lead to 10-8.
23 – Leolin Zas bursts into the 22 from the restart and it is worked wide to Angelo Davids who scores in the corner. Tim Swiel nails the touchline conversion to make it 17-8.
28 – DHL WP absorb some pressure and then get back on the front foot as they surge into the 22. They kick for the corner in search of a third try.
30 – DHL WP have their tails up now and take some momentum into the 22 where a powerful maul sees hooker Chad Solomon crash over for the third try.
34 – Adre Smith shown a yellow card after a call by the TMO. Lions kick to the corner as they look for another maul try.
36 – Lions lose the ball forward so DHL WP have scrum on their tryline. Lions win a scrum penalty against the seven and kick to the corner again.
38 – Another maul try from the Lions, which cuts DHL WP’s lead to 22-15.
40 – There is still enough time for a fourth try from DHL WP as they surge into the 22 and some slick passing sees Davids over for his second. Another touchline conversion from Swiel makes it 29-15 at the break.
41 – Second half underway and an early penalty for DHL WP, with Swiel kicking to touch.
43 – A few line-outs and eventually a lions forward is shown a yellow card for repeated infringements. DHL WP launch a maul of their own and then it goes to the backline, but the ball is lost forward.
47 – Lions clear and DHL WP run it back. It goes wide and Hacjivah Dayimani hits the ball at pace to cruise through for the fifth try to take the lead to 36-15
50 – Lions hit back with their third try, to reduce the lead to 36-22 with 30 mins left to play.
60 – Some Midfield magic from the slippery Tristan Leyds, who then puts in the perfect grubber for Angelo Davids to chase down for his hat-trick try. Sun is out, but it’s raining five-pointers at DHL Stadium.
65 – The Lions come up with another try out wide and that is the bonus point for the visitors.
69 – DHL WP are not done though and this time it is veteran replacement flank Deon Fourie who barges over for the seventh try to make it 48-29.
80 – Full-time at DHL Stadium where DHL WP have started their Carling Currie Cup campaign in style with a 48-36 win against Sigma Lions in front of the Faithful. We are back here on Wednesday to face the Vodacom Bulls, see you then!