DHL Western Province are in Johannesburg for a Carling Currie Cup clash against Sigma Lions at Emirates Airline Park.
Ali Vermaak, Sazi Sandi, Adre Smith, Junior Pokomela and Ebenezer Tshimanga all come into the starting line-up for DHL WP as they look to build on their win against Airlink Pumas a few weeks ago.
Conditions are good in Joburg, so we should be in for a good game today.
0 – Kick-off at Emirates Airline Park where DHL WP are looking for their third win of the season. Knock on from Smith from the kick-off, so Lions have an early scrum.
3 – Offside called, so the Lions kick into the corner as they look for a try.
5 – The home side scramble the ball onto the line for the opening try in Joburg to make it 5-0.
7 – DHL WP surge into opposition territory, with Tshimanga making good ground on the outside. Lions offside this time so Swiel kicks the points to make it 5-3.
9 – Lions hit back with a counter-attack try from Stean Pienaar to make it 12-3.
12 – Lions get the ball back and go back on the attack, but a skew throw in the line-out gives DHL WP the ball back.
14 – Scrum penalty, so Swiel can clear it. Smit loses it in contact, so the Lions can run at them again.
17 – Breakdown penalty for the Lions this time and they go to the corner again.
18 – Good maul defence wins the scrum on the tryline. Another scrum penalty so Swiel can clear.
21 – Both teams kicking for position. Swiel knocks it on and the Lions kick it all the way back to the tryline.
23 – Goal-line drop-out and the Sigma Lions counter back with a few very flat passes to score their third try to make it 17-3.
25 – Smit bursts into the 22. Lions put their hands in the ruck and Masimla goes quickly. He is tackled early so Swiel kicks to the corner.
27 – Another breakdown penalty on the tryline so it’s a warning for the Lions.
29 – It goes to Leyds and he is over in the corner but it is held up. Tshimanga runs the drop-out back and the Lions give another breakdown penalty away.
31 – Lions turn it over at the breakdown this time and clear it. It goes to Swiel and he knocks on so the Lions have a scrum.
33 – Swiel called offside this time, so the Lions can kick long. Breakdown penalty for them and Swanepoel kicks the points to make it 20-3.
38 – Another breakdown penalty for the Lions in their own half this time so they can clear it.
39 – DHL WP steal the line-out and carry it back, but it is lost in the tackle by Smith.
40 – A frustrating first half comes to an end in Joburg. Plenty of penalties both ways as DHL WP go into half-time trailing 20-3.
42 – DHL WP get their hands on the ball, but a long pass is lost forward. Scrum penalty for DHL WP again, so Swiel will kick for the corner.
44 – DHL WP go straight up the middle and Nama Xaba is over the tryline, but he is held up. The drop-out does not go five metres, so DHL WP have an attacking scrum this time.
47 – Nama Xaba forces it over and that makes it 20-10. Lions Ruben Schoeman shown a yellow card for repeated infringements from his team.
50 – Lions try to run but knock it on under pressure, so DHL WP have a scrum. Another scrum penalty so they can kick long.
54 – DHL WP on the attack, but the ball is ripped away and cleared by the Lions.
56 – DHL WP run it from their own half. Long kick from Leyds is out in the 22. Lions clear it out of the 22.
58 – DHL WP maul and the Lions go in at the side. Taken quickly and Theunissen is just short.
59 – Lions offside on the tryline so Swiel kicks into the corner as they look for another try. Ball is lost forward and cleared by the Lions.
62 – Another ball lost forward in our half, so the Lions have a scrum. Backline called offside so Swanepoel has a shot at goal and it is over to make it 23-10.
66 – DHL WP putting the pressure on in the corner with a strong maul.
68 – Lions force it into touch and then win a breakdown penalty so Swanepoel can kick a penalty from his own half to make it 26-10.
71 – Swanepoel finishes a try down the blindside and converts to make it 33-10.
74 – DHL WP throwing everything at them now and it is knocked on in the tackle from the Lions.
76 – DHL WP go into the 22, but the Lions win a breakdown penalty.
80 – DHL WP on the attack at the end, but the ball is lost forward and that is game over. Frustrating match for our team in a game that was dominated by the referee’s whistle.