Border Ladies and DHL Western Province continued to stamp their authority in the Women’s Premier Division on Saturday as they cruised to their third wins a row, while the Boland Dames registered their first victory of the season in an exciting third round.
A scintillating first-half display by the Border Ladies set the scene for their impressive 48-0 victory against the Cell C Sharks Women in Durban, while DHL Western Province racked up a massive 12 tries against the EP Queens for a rewarding 72-19 victory in Cape Town.
The Boland Dames, meanwhile, held off a determined Blue Bulls Women’s outfit being steered by flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg – who scored all their points – for a hard-fought 23-19 victory in Wellington.
DHL WP outclass EP Queens in try festival
DHL Western Province Women were in fine form against the EP Queens at Newlands Stadium, scoring six first-half tries to one for an encouraging 36-7 lead. They built on this in the second half with another six tries on their way to a 72-19 win, while the visitors were only able to add a try and penalty try to their score.
The match was particularly memorable for Springbok Women’s winger Veroeshka Grain, who scored four tries for a personal tally of 20 points, while Donelle Snyders (fullback) and national players Felicia Jacobs (scrumhalf) and Zintle Mpupha (centre) each earned braces.
The Capetonians drew first blood scoring two tries in the first 17 minutes, and Bok Women’s flanker Sinazo Mcatshulwa proved instrumental in creating the next two tries thanks to strong line breaks, which saw Grain and Jacobs touch down within two minutes of one another for a 24-0 lead and a handy bonus point.
The Capetonians added their fifth try three minutes later, but this was cancelled out by the EP Queens’ Sinalo Mtshizana (lock), who crossed the chalk after sustained pressure close to the tryline.
The hosts had the last say in the half with their sixth try, taking their score to 36-7.
The Queens were dealt a blow shortly before halftime as Megdene Booysen (centre) received a yellow card for a high tackle, but despite this they managed to add to their score shortly after the restart as Raylene Noubos (scrumhalf) forced her way over for their second try.
DHL Western Province hit back several minutes later with their seventh try, which stretched their lead to 43-12, but this was short-lived as the Queens were awarded a penalty try soon after.
The hosts continued to display their effective attacking skills, and this paid off with Snyders and Zintle Mpupha getting over for the second time, and the floodgates opened with Grain and Alichia Arries (replacement winger) following to inflate their score to 67 points.
The hosts maintained the pressure until the final minute, with Grain crossing the line for the last time on the stroke of fulltime for a convincing 72-19 victory.
Scorers:
DHL Western Province 72 (36) – Tries: Cindy Booi, Donelle Snyders (2), Veroeshka Grain (4), Felicia Jacobs (2), Zintle Mpupha (2), Alichia Arries. Conversions: Vuyo Maqholo (6).
EP Queens 19 (7) – Tries: Sinalo Mtshizana, Raylene Noubos, Penalty Try. Conversion: Zenay Jordaan.
Border Ladies outclass Cell C Sharks Women with eight-try romp
The Border Ladies blew the Cell C Sharks out of the water with a stunning first-half display at Jonsson Kings Park in Durban to outplay the home side 48-0.
The visitors crossed the tryline an impressive seven times in the first stanza – with Zintle Holofela (centre) earning a hat-trick and Sticks Lafutha (winger) a brace – which saw them enter the break with a comprehensive 43-0 lead.
The second half proved to be much more competitive as the hosts tried to make their presence felt on attack and stepped up their defence, which limited Border to only one try, taking their tally for the match to eight.
The 2019 finalists delivered a superb display all around with their forwards and backs combining well, and they rounded this off with impressive pace and finishing.
Springbok Women’s flanker Lusanda Dumke opened the scoring in the second minute from a great break and fantastic support play, and Holofela added their second try two minutes later after receiving a well-timed pass following another good line break.
They built on this with Lafutha scoring back-to-back tries within 10 minutes, which secured the side their bonus point and a 22-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Holofela dived in for her second try in the 26th minute after an earlier turnover at a ruck close to the Sharks’ tryline, and minutes later Sxobo Diliza (hooker) crossed the chalk from a pick-and-go.
Holofela wrapped up her hat-trick two minutes before the break after snatching the ball out of the air from a timely pass close to the tryline, and this inflated their lead to 43-0.
The Cell C Sharks Women, in turn, had only one encouraging opportunity to score points in the first half through a penalty goal, but the attempt was unsuccessful.
The KwaZulu-Natalians entered the second half with an attacking mindset, which enabled them to apply more pressure, but with light rain complicating matters, the wet ball hampered their efforts.
The hosts were reduced to 14 players in the fourth quarter as Nqabakazi Nqoro (flanker) received a yellow card for a high tackle, but they managed to shut out the visitors on attack.
With the clock winding down, the Border Ladies continued to show their class on attack, and this paid off with Siphokuhle Am (replacement back) scoring their eighth try for a gratifying 48-0 victory.
Scorers:
Border Ladies 48 (43) – Tries: Lusanda Dumke, Zintle Holofela (3), Sticks Lafutha (2), Sxobo Diliza, Siphokuhle Am. Conversions: Teddy Nobanda (4).
Cell C Sharks Women 0
Boland Dames break Blue Bulls’ hearts in Wellington
The Boland Dames broke their Women’s Premier Division duck with a hard-fought 23-19 victory over the Blue Bulls Women on a sunny afternoon in Wellington, where both teams were full of running.
Both sides scored three tries apiece, with the home team enjoying more territory and possession, and with Springbok Women’s No 8 Aseza Hele leading the charge, the Dames often punched holes in the women from Pretoria’s defence.
Imbokodo star Nadine Roos (flyhalf) got an early try for the home team, but her opposite number, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, who was in superb form, cancelled it out a few minutes later with her first try.
The Bolanders then stepped up a gear and added two more tries – by Mophy Ngwevu (centre) and Xoliswa Mbobo (wing) – while Demi Nel (centre) added a penalty goal to her earlier conversion to hand the home team a 20-5 lead at the break.
The Blue Bulls Women tried hard on the attack, but unforced errors and good defence by the Bolanders kept them out.
The visitors turned the tide after the break, with Janse van Rensburg scoring two tries in quick succession midway through the half, and by converting both her tries, the Blue Bulls’ No 10 put her team one point behind (20-19) with 20 minutes to go.
Nel slotted her second penalty goal with less than 10 minutes remaining to push Boland ahead by four points, and that is how it stayed until the end.
Scorers:
Boland Dames 23 (20) – Tries: Nadine Roos, Mophy Ngwevu, Xoliswa Mbobo. Conversion: Demi Nel. Penalty Goals: Nel (2).
Blue Bulls Women 19 (5) – Tries: Libbie Janse van Rensburg (3). Conversions: Janse van Rensburg (2).
