Aside from currently playing for the DHL Stormers, Nic Groom, Demetri Catrakilis, Kurt Coleman and Damian de Allende have something else in common.

What is it, you ask?

It’s simple; they were all present in Kimberley when DHL Western Province lifted the Vodacom Cup trophy for the first time in 2012.

Starting players Groom, Catrakilis and Coleman all key pivotal roles as DHL WP defeated Griquas by 20-18 in dramatic circumstances on Friday, May 18 (2012), while De Allende was there as ‘Player No.24’ due to a fitness doubt in the Province matchday 22.

Since then, the likes of Ali Vermaak, Oli Kebble, Scarra Ntubeni, Jean Kleyn, Siya Kolisi, Nizaam Carr, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Dillyn Leyds, Johnny Kotze, Kobus van Wyk and Cheslin Kolbe – to name just a few – have also passed through Province’s Vodacom Cup set-up en route to becoming fully-fledged DHL Stormers players; all the under the watchful gaze of head coach John Dobson and his trusted assistant coach Dawie Snyman, the same duo that will be taking over the Absa Currie Cup reins for DHL WP later this year.

Dobson and Snyman have been working together since the 2010 Absa Provincial Under-21 season and have collected three major trophies in that time – at junior and senior level combined and never have failed to make a play-off in any competition.

In all, their Vodacom Cup record reads an impressive 38 wins from 45 starts (play-off matches included), for an impressive 84% win ratio, not bad reading as they chase a second Vodacom Cup title in the space of just four seasons.

Looking ahead to today’s first-ever Vodacom Cup Final at DHL Newlands, Dobson said: “We’ve put in a lot of hard work this season and it’s wonderful that we can play a final in front of our supporters at DHL Newlands.

“We know it will be a tough encounter against a well-coached and experienced Pumas side. You only have to look at the way in which they won their play-offs in the last fortnight to see that they are peaking at the right time of the season.”

DHL WP’S ROAD TO THE 2015 FINAL:

March 21: Boland Cavaliers 10 DHL Western Province 25 (Caledon)
March 28: DHL Western Province 32 Cell C Sharks XV 12 (City Park, Cape Town)

April 11: EP Kings 13 DHL Western Province 19 (Port Elizabeth)
April 18: DHL Western Province 34 Border Bulldogs 6 (City Park, Cape Town)
April 25: GWK Griquas 14 DHL Western Province 21 (Kimberley)

May 2: Toyota Free State XV 29 DHL Western Province 30 (Bloemfontein)
May 9: DHL Western Province 27 SWD Eagles 19 (DHL Newlands, Cape Town)
May 16: DHL Western Province 47 Leopards XV 22 (Quarterfinal – City Park, Cape Town)
May 23: DHL Western Province 10 Vodacom Blue Bulls 6 (Semifinal – DHL Newlands, Cape Town)