DHL Western Province are one of only two unbeaten teams left in the
SupeSport Rugby Challenge and top the South Section of the
competition after five consecutive wins.
The champions in the first two seasons of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge, the iSG Pumas and DHL Western Province, sit pretty at the top of the standings and are the the only undefeated sides left in the competition after five rounds of play.
The iSG Pumas top the North Section following a strong 37-28 win over Tafel Lager Griquas in Nelspruit on Saturday, while DHL WP side had to overcome a spirited Multisure EP Elephants team at DHL Newlands in Cape Town, winning 27-13 after trailing 10-13 at the break.
Elsewhere, the Leopards scored their first win of the completion, beating the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias in Windhoek by 81-8, but the most points of the weekend belonged to the Cell C Sharks XV, who outclassed Border Bulldogs 82-24 in Durban.
It was again a weekend highlighted by high scores, no less so at the Rugby Festival at Bosman Stadium in Brakpan earlier on Sunday, where the Vodacom Blue Bulls scored 64 points in their win over Xerox Golden Lions in a match that yielded 13 tries.
The Valke also dented the aspirations of Down Touch Griffons by beating them in a match that produced 71 points in front of an appreciative crowd.
South Section:
DHL Western Province look set for a top of the log finish, but they learnt on Saturday that they can’t afford to underestimate any of the teams below them on the log, as the Multisure EP Elephants proved in the first half of their match in Cape Town.
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs XV made the biggest move on the log following their 66-10 win over the Zimbabwe Academy in Cape Town. The Bloem side have passed Boland into second place on the log due to points’ difference.
Boland, despite their 43-28 win over SWD in George, dropped to third on the log, but will still feel confident of continuing their push for a semi-final place.
SWD and EP will be dangerous opponents in the remaining rounds, as they have the ability to deliver a shock on the day.
The Cell C Sharks XV’s massive win over Border will keep the teams from Wellington and Bloemfontein honest, as any slip up could see the Durbanites sneak into the top two.
South section results:
Cell C Sharks XV 82 (54), Border 24 (10)
Cell C Sharks XV:
Tries: Cullen Collopy, Khutha Mchunu, Zee Mkhabela, Charles Mayeza 3, Jeremy Ward, Sicelo Tole, Henry Chamberlain 2, Murray Koster, Penalty Try
Cons: Inny Radebe 8, Chamberlain 2
Border:
Tries: Sipho Nofemele, Sonwabiso Mqalo, Aphiwe Stemele
Cons: Stemele 3
Pen: Dilolo Mapuko
SWD 28 (14), Boland 43 (26)
SWD:
Tries: Dillin Snel 2, Marquit September 2
Cons: Gerhard Nortier 2, Leighton Eksteen 2
Boland:
Tries: Keenan Cronje 2, Valentino Wellman 2, Shilton van Wyk, Franna Esterhuizen
Cons: Garrick Mattheus 5
Pen: Mattheus
DHL Western Province 27 (10), Multisure EP Elephants 13 (13)
DHL Western Province:
Tries: David Brits, Kwenzo Blose, Chris Massyn
Cons: Abner van Reenen 3
Pens: Van Reenen 2
Multisure EP Elephants:
Try: Riaan Arends
Con: Ntabeni Dukisa
Pens: Dukisa 2
Zimbabwe Academy 10 (3), Toyota Free State Cheetahs XV 66 (33)
Zimbabwe Academy:
Try: Aiden Burnett
Con: Brendon Mandivenga
Pen: Mandivenga
Toyota Free State Cheetahs XV:
Tries: Tapiwa Mafura 2, Lubalalo Dobela 2, Jamba Ulengo 2, Janus Venter, Jacques du Toit, Darren Adonis, Daniel Maartens
Cons: Ernst Stapelberg 3, Dobela 2, Adriaan Carelse 2
