Robert du Preez scored 15 points as Western Province beat the Boland Cavaliers 25-14 in Piketberg on Saturday, while there were also Currie Cup Qualifier wins for the Golden Lions XV, Sharks XV and Blue Bulls.
Boland were the first to score, but Western Province hit back to take a 15-7 lead into half-time. The visitors never relinquished their lead as they handed Boland just their third defeat of the competition.
Centre Christopher Bosch opened the scoring for the home side with a try in the 20th minute and flyhalf Nico Scheepers added the extras.
Du Preez then kicked a penalty and scored an unconverted try, before converting hooker Chad Solomon’s try to give the visitors an eight-point lead at the break.
Du Preez kicked a penalty early in the second half, but Boland hit back with a converted try from wing Danwel Demas, playing in his 50th match for the Cavaliers.
WP centre EW Viljoen then effectively put the game beyond the hosts with a converted try with just 10 minutes to play. The visitors kept Boland at bay to deny the home side a losing bonus point.
In other matches on Saturday, left wing Anthony Volmink scored a hat-trick as the Golden Lions XV ran in 11 tries to beat the Valke 75-14 in Kempton Park, the Sharks XV recorded their fifth win of the tournament by beating the Griffons 36-27 in Welkom, and the Blue Bulls claimed a 45-26 victory over the Border Bulldogs in East London.
Boland Cavaliers (14) – Tries: Christopher Bosch, Danwel Demas. Conversions: Nico Scheepers (2).
Western Province (25) – Tries: Robert du Preez, Chad Solomon, Johnny Kotze. Conversions: Du Preez (2). Penalties: Du Preez (2).
Valke (14) – Tries: Christian Rust, Barend Steyn. Conversions: Warren Potgieter, Christo Coetzee.
Golden Lions XV (75) – Tries: Selom Gavor (2), Anthony Volmink (3), JW Bell, Shaun Reynolds, Arnout Malherbe, Jacques Nel, Luvuyiso Lusaseni, Pieter Jansen. Conversions: Jako van der Walt (4), Reynolds (6).
Giffons (27) – Tries: Japie Nel (2), Warren Williams, Gavin Annandale. Conversions: Duan Pretorius (2). Penalty: Pretorius.
Sharks XV (36) – Tries: Neil Maritz, Stephan Coetzee, Morne Joubert, Malcolm Cele (2). Conversions: Innocent Radebe (4). Penalty: Duncan Campbell.
Border (26) – Tries: Sipho Nofemele, Michael Makese. Conversions: Logan Basson (2). Penalties Basson (4).
Blue Bulls (45) – Tries: Marquit September (2), Jade Stighling, Tapiwa Tsomondo (2), Franco Naude, Kefentse Mahlo. Conversions: Joshua Stander (5).
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
