Western Province claimed a 30-18 bonus-point victory over the EP Kings, while there were also wins for the Leopards, Valke, Pumas, Griquas and Border in round one of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge.
A converted try by Marcello Sampson and a penalty by flyhalf Brandon Thompson gave the visitors a 10-3 lead, but a penalty and two tries – by centre Siyanda Grey and scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer – saw EP ahead 13-10 at the break.
However, Grey was yellow-carded shortly after the restart and Thompson levelled the scores with his second penalty. Both sides added a try while Grey was off the field, but after that WP pulled away with two further scores by flank Luke Stringer and eighthman Jaco Coetzee either side of a yellow card to EP lock Christiaan de Bruin.
In other results, the Border Bulldogs fought back from 20-7 down to beat the Boland Cavaliers 28-25, Griquas stunned the Sharks XV 38-7 at Kings Park, the Pumas scored three late tries to down the Blue Bulls 31-23 in Pretoria, the Valke hammered the Welwitchias 50-33 and the Leopards defeated the Griffons 29-17.
EP Kings (18) – Tries: Siyanda Grey, Stefan Ungerer, Alshaun Bock. Penalty: Garrick Mattheus.
Western Province (30) – Tries: Marcello Sampson, Grant Hermanus, Luke Stringer, Jaco Coetzee. Conversions: Brandon Thompson (2). Penalties: Thompson (2).
Border Bulldogs (28) – Tries: Sonwabiso Mqalo, Penalty try, Michael Makase, Blake Kyd. Conversions: Oliver Zono (3).
Boland Cavaliers (25) – Tries: Charles Mayeza, Danwel Demas, Marlyn Williams, Zandre Jordaan. Conversion: Elgar Watts. Penalty: Watts.
Griquas (28) – Tries: Jason Fraser, Penalty try, Enver Brandt, Tertius Kruger. Conversions: George Whitehead (2), Andre Swarts.
Sharks XV (7) – Try: Juan Schoeman. Conversion: Johan Deysel.
Blue Bulls (23) – Tries: Sibahle Maxwane, Divan Rossouw. Conversions: Tony Jantjies, Tinus de Beer. Penalties: Jantjies (2), Joshua Stander.
Pumas (31) – Tries: Frank Herne (2), Marko Janse van Rensburg, Devon Williams. Conversion: Kobus Marais. Penalties: Marais (3).
Valke (50) – Tries: Etienne Taljaard (2), Dian Koen, Grant Janke, Ernst Ladendorf, Keaton Gordon, Maphutha Dolo. Conversions: Warren Potgieter (6). Penalties: Potgieter.
Welwitschias (33) – Tries: Gino Wilson, Lesley Klim, Maharua Katjijeko, Eugene Jantjies, Leneve Damens. Conversion: Theuns Kotze. Penalties: Kotze (2).
Leopards (29) – Tries: Gene Willemse (2), Schalk Hugo, Loftus Morrison. Conversions: Hugo (3). Penalty: Hugo.
Griffons (17) – Tries. Henco Greyling, Khwezi Mkhafu, Niel Claassen. Conversion: Juan Kotze.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
