DHL Western Province went down 22-20 in a tense North-South Carling Currie Cup clash against the Vodacom Bulls at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
Both teams scored three tries, but it was the visitors from Pretoria who claimed a dramatic two-point win with a late try.
After a tense start to the game with both teams looking for territorial dominance, it was the visitors who opened the scoring. A counter-attack was finished off in the corner by wing Kurt-Lee Arendse to give them a 5-0 advantage.
DHL Western Province responded almost immediately as flyhalf Damian Willemse converted a breakdown penalty following an attacking scrum and line-out.
Willemse saw two further attempts go wide, but DHL Western Province were making most of the play, winning numerous penalties through their powerful scrum.
An extended period of dominance in the opposition 22 was eventually rewarded as No.8 Juarno Augustus burst through to score.
That saw the home side take a 10-5 lead into the half-time break, which did not reflect their dominance in the opening 40 minutes.
The Vodacom Bulls struck first in the second half with a penalty from flyhalf Chris Smith, but they were reduced to 14 soon afterwards, when prop Jacques van Rooyen was shown a red card for a late and dangerous tackle on Warrick Gelant.
DHL Western Province kept the pressure on and it eventually resulted in a second try. Centre Ruhan Nel made an intercept and was brought down on halfway before Willemse put through a rolling kick which was collected next to the touchline by a flying Angelo Davids, with the wing going on to score in the corner.
The visitors levelled matters with a second try from Arendse, but DHL WP responded with their third try as a composed build-up saw blindside flank Ernst van Rhyn gallop over in the corner to make it 20-15 heading into the last 10 minutes.
Vodacom Bulls replacement Marco Jansen van Vuuren scored at the death and the touchline conversion from Smith saw the visitors claim a 22-20 win.
The scorers:
For DHL WP:
Tries: Augustus, Davids, Van Rhyn
Con: Willemse
Pen: Willemse
For Vodacom Bulls:
Pen: Smith
Tries: Arendse 2, Jansen van Vuuren
Cons: Smith 2
DHL Western Province: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Jaco Coetzee, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Tim Swiel, 23 Ruhan Nel.
VODACOM BULLS: David Kriel, Travis Ismaiel, Stedman Gans, Cornal Hendricks, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Chris Smith, Ivan van Zyl, Duane Vermeulen (captain), Arno Botha, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje, Walt Steenkamp, Trevor Nyakane, Johan Grobbelaar, Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: Corniel Els, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marcel van der Merwe, Sintu Manjezi, Nizaam Carr, Embrose Papier, Clinton Swart, Marco Jansen van Vuren.