Western Province claimed a 37-23 bonus-point win against the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday night.
The visitors led 27-6 early in the second half, before the Pumas fought back to make it 30-23. But WP secured the win when Nizaam Carr scored his second try, and his side's fourth, with two minutes to go.
WP went 10 points up after just 13 minutes thanks to a penalty from Demetri Catrakilis and Carr's first try.
Two JC Roos penalties and another from Catrakilis made it 13-6 after 36 minutes, before Province turned down a shot at goal and pushed for the try. After a patient buildup Sikhumbozu Nothse went over in the left corner with Catrakilis nailing the touchline conversion.
Michael van der Spuy was driven over for WP's third try six minutes into the second half, but the Pumas hit back with two converted tries by Stefan Watermeyer in the space of three minutes that reduced the deficit to seven.
Justin van Staden and Catrakilis then exchanged penalties to make it 30-23 with 18 minutes to go.
WP would have been a bit worried at that point, but Carr's late try saw them leave Nelspruit with the full five log points.
Pumas – Tries: Stefan Watermeyer (2). Conversions: Justin van Staden (2). Penalties: JC Roos (2), Van Staden.
Western Province – Tries: Niaam Carr (2), Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Michael van der Spuy. Conversions: Demetri Catrakilis (4). Penalties: Catrakilis (3).
Pumas – 15 JW Bell, 14 Ruwellyn Isbell, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Rosco Speckman, 10 JC Roos, 9 Reynier van Rooyen, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corné Steenkamp (c), 5 Giant Mtyanda, 4 Marius Coetzer, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Frankie Herne, 1 Corné Fourie.
Subs: 16 Francois du Toit, 17 DeJay Terblanche, 18 Uzair Cassiem, 19 RW Kember, 20 Dylon Frylinck, 21 Justin van Staden, 22 Jerome Pretorius.
Western Province – 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (c), 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Justin Geduld, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Pat Cilliers, Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Subs: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Manuel Carizza, 19 Rohan Kitshoff, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Michael van der Spuy.
Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
