Western Province beat the Valke 59-31 in Kempton Park, while there were also Currie Cup Qualifier wins for the Golden Lions XV, Pumas and Blue Bulls on Friday.
The Valke got off to a flying 14-0 lead, but Province hit back with four unanswered tries to head 26-17 into the break. The visitors then ran in five second-half tries to secure their ninth win of the competition and move to the top of the Qualifier log.
Valke lock Shane Kirkwood and wing Grant Janke scored converted tries within the first 10 minutes of the match, but WP responded with tries from wingers Khanya Ngcukana and JP Lewis to make it 14-12.
Valke flyhalf Karlo Aspeling kicked a penalty goal, before WP hooker Chad Solomon and Lewis crossed the line to give their side a nine-point lead.
Lewis completed his hat-trick early in the second half, with flyhalf Robert du Preez and replacements Eital Bredenkamp (flank), Devon Williams (wing) and Cullen Collopy (hooker) completing the visitors’ nine-try haul.
The Valke scored two tries in the final 10 minutes, through centre Andries Truter and lock Marlyn Williams, but it was scant consolation as they slumped to their seventh defeat of the competition.
Elsewhere, the Golden Lions XV ran in 10 tries to maul the Leopards 64-28 in Potchefstroom, flank Lambert Groenewald scored a hat-trick as the Pumas smashed the EP Kings 53-20 in Nelspruit, and the Blue Bulls edged the SWD Eagles 28-23 in George.
Valke (31) – Tries: Shane Kirkwood, Grant Janke, Andries Truter, Marlyn Williams. Conversions: Karlo Aspeling (2), JP du Plessis, Christo Coetzee. Penalty: Aspeling.
Western Province (59) – Tries: Khanya Ngcukana, JP Lewis (3), Chad Solomon, Robert du Preez, Eital Bredenkamp, Devon Williams, Cullen Collopy. Conversions: Du Preez (7).
Leopards (28) – Tries: Bradley Moolman, Malherbe Swart, Jaco Hayward, Wilmar Arnoldi. Conversions: Rhyno Smith (4).
Golden Lions XV (64) – Tries: Jacques van Rooyen, Jarryd Sage, Ramone Samuels, Cyle Brink, Sylvian Mahuza, Ruan Ackermann, Lourens Erasmus (2), Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Anthony Volmink. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (7).
Pumas (53) – Tries: Frankie Herne (2), DJ Terblanche, Lambert Groenewald (3), Reuben Johannes, Deon Helberg. Conversions: Justin van Staden (5). Penalty: Van Staden.
EP Kings (20) – Tries: Yaw Penxe, Somihla Jho, Courtney Winnaar. Conversion: Michael Brink. Penalty: Brink.
SWD Eagles (23) – Tries: Layle Delo, Lyndon Hartnick, Kurt Haupt. Conversions: Jacquin Jansen. Penalties: Jansen, Thomas Kean.
Blue Bulls (28) – Tries: Ruben van Heerden, Divan Rossouw, Alandre van Rooyen. Conversions: Tony Jantjies, Tinus de Beer. Penalties: Jantjies (3).
Photo: Carl Fourie/Gallo Images
