DHL Western Province fought hard, but went down 19-9 in their Carling Currie Cup semifinal against the Cell C Sharks at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
It was an intensely physical play-off match between the coastal rivals, but the Cell C Sharks managed to hold out under pressure to book their place in the final next week.
The visitors won a few early penalties and flyhalf Curwin Bosch slotted three kicks from inside his own half to give them a 9-0 advantage.
DHL Western Province regrouped and were dominating territorially, forcing the Cell C Sharks onto the back foot.
The Durban side started giving away a number of penalties of their own and that eventually resulted in loosehead prop Ox Nche being shown a yellow card, following multiple infringements from his team.
DHL Western Province flyhalf Tim Swiel kicked two penalties of his own late in the first half, which meant that the home team went into the break trailing 9-6 at the end of a tryless first half.
The scores were level early in the second half when Swiel slotted his third penalty, but the visitors were back in front soon afterwards through a Bosch drop-goal.
The rest of the second half was brutally physical, with neither team managing to find a way through some reolute defence.
DHL Western Province were reduced to 14 when replacement Ernst van Rhyn was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements. His teammates held out admirably, but the Cell C Sharks eventually forced their way over for the only try of the match, which sealed the victory for the visiting team.
The scorers:
For DHL WP:
Pens: Swiel 3
For Cell C Sharks:
Try: Van der Mescht
Con: Bosch
Pens: Bosch 3
DG: Bosch
DHL Western Province: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Johan du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Ernst van Rhyn, 21 Jaco Coetzee, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Ruhan Nel.
Cell C Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Sbu Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am (captain), Marius Louw, Yaw Penxe, Curwin Bosch, Sanele Nohamba, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Henco Venter, Dylan Richardson, Ruben van Heerden, JJ van der Mescht, Thomas du Toit, Fez Mbatha, Ox Nche. Replacements: Dan Jooste, Mzamo Majola, Michael Kumbirai, Hyron Andrews, Thembelani Bholi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jeremy Ward, Manie Libbok.