DHL Western Province kicked off their Currie Cup campaign with an impressive 20-5 win against the Vodacom Blue Bulls at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
It was an outstanding defensive effort, keeping the visitors to just one try and scoring three of their own in front of the DHL Newlands Faithful.
The home side got on the front foot early on, but the visitors would score the opening try as a ball was knocked loose in the 22 and given to scrumhalf Embrose Papier who raced away to score in the corner.
DHL Western Province had a clear ascendency at scrum-time and a series of powerful scrums resulted in penalties which moved them into attacking position.
The pressure eventually told as some good support play from wing Seabelo Senatla and fullback SP Marais saw outside centre Ruhan Nel get over for a try.
Both team scrambled impressively on defence and would go into the half-time break deadlocked at 5-5.
The hosts took the lead early in the second half as Juarno Augustus scored out wide after a Jean-Luc du Plessis kick over the top had been chased down.
Another monster scrum on the halfway line saw DHL Western Province awarded a penalty and Marais stepped up to thump it over and take their lead out to 15-5.
The final try came after the hooter as replacement Craig Barry collected a cross-kick from Josh Stander to score out wide and seal the win.
The scorers:
For DHL Western Province:
Tries: Nel, Augustus, Barry
Con: Marais
Pen: Marais
For Vodacom Blue Bulls:
Try: Papier
DHL Western Province: 15 SP Marais, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Justin Phillips, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 Chris van Zyl (captain), 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Corne Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Josh Stander, 23 Craig Barry.
Vodacom Blue Bulls: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Wian Vosloo, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Ruan Nortjie, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Matthys Basson, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Dylan Sage.