Sanlam Boland Kavaliers know they have a lot of work to do before they play in next week’s semi-finals of the Carling Black Label Currie Cup. The Wellington side went down 40-22 after holding onto a slender 7-8 lead against the DHL Western Province.
This was the final round-robin match, and head coach Hawies Fourie’s men will have to wait on the results from the remaining Round Seven games to know who they will be playing and where.
The loss against a DHL WP side had some DHL Stormers players, who are preparing for the upcoming Vodacom URC competition. Three yellow cards and numerous penalties conceded by the visitors allowed the DHL WP side to extend their lead and keep the scoreboard pressure firmly in place.
Juan Mostert’s first-half penalty sent the players into the sheds with the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers hanging onto a one-point lead.
The experience of the Cape side’s stars began to filter through in the second half as lock Adre Smith barnstormed his way over the line before Leolin Zas dotted down in the left corner to break open the game.
Smith’s second try put further daylight between Province and the Kavas. Xavier Mitchell’s disallowed try swung the scoreboard in favour of the hosts from the resulting scrum. Moster’s pass to Mitchell was adjudged to have travelled forward. This turned the momentum when Jonathan Roche and Marcell Theunissen both crossed the whitewash in quick succession.
There was still hope of the Kavas clinching a bonus point when Donovan Don and Llewellyn Classen scored their side’s second and third tries, respectively.
However, it was the home side’s experience that saw them across the lines and shut the proverbial door, leaving the Kavas with a wait to see if results in their favour in Saturday’s remaining fixtures will see them hold on to a home semifinal spot.
SCORERS:
DHL WP 40 (7)- Tries: Vernon Matongo, Adre Smit (2), Leolin Zas, Jonathan Roche, Marcell Theunissen. Conversions: Jurie Mathee (5)
SANLAM BOLAND KAVALIERS 22 (8) – Tries: Dayan van der Westhuizen, Donovan Don, Llewellyn Classen. Conversions: Jayden Bantom, Donovan Don. Penalty: Juan Mostert.
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers: 15 Domenic Smit, 14 Donavan Don, 13 David Brits, 12 Lunathi Nxele, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Juan Mostert, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Sibusiso Sangweni, 6 Sauliegh Arendse, 5 Marlyn Williams, 4 Michael Benadie, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Wayrin Losper
Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Lamla Nunu, 18 Mthokozisi Gumede, 19 Ameer Hendricks, 20 Jurie van Vuuren, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Erik Lambrecht, 23 Jayden Bantom