There was the familiar barrage of tries and crunching tackles on display in the second round of the Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1 on Saturday, with the regular contenders for the ultimate prize all flexing their muscles and claiming consecutive wins.
The Isuzu Bulls Daisies, DHL Western Province and Sanlam Boland Dames all recorded second wins, while the Free State Women got their first victory in a pulsating affair against the EP Queens in Bloemfontein, winning 21-12.
DHL Western Province clocked a second half century in beating the Golden Lions Women 53-5 in Cape Town; the Daisies overwhelmed their Sharks Women hosts 45-3 in Durban; and the Sanlam Boland Dames outlasted the Border Ladies in a hot Wellington, winning 45-21.
Slick WP too fluent for Lions in Bellville
DHL Western Province delivered another strong showing at home, scoring nine tries against a willing, but outclassed the Golden Lions Women by 53-5 at the Rosina Paarwater Stadium in Bellville.
The home side delivered a good all-round display to overwhelm their visitors and showed that they will be around at the business end of the tournament. The much-anticipated return of Babalwa Latsha was worth the wait, with the experienced Springbok Women tighthead prop scoring a brace of tries, but it was the speedsters who stole the limelight, with a number of spectacular five-pointers as part of the menu.
The pace and ability to create space by the home side’s outside backs proved too much for the Lions, who tried gamely, but just did not have the same firepower as their opponents.
Voice Ndou continued her hot form from last season, with the WP wing dotting down twice, while Shaunique Hess (outside centre) also crossed for two tries, and No 8 Logan Welman also scored a brace after strong bursts from set piece.
Scorers:
- DHL Western Province 53 (29) – Tries: Shaunique Hess (2), Voice Ndou (2), Babalwa Latsha (2), Logan Welman (2), Raeeqah Hendricks. Conversions: Elme Kruger (4).
- Golden Lions Women 5 (5) – Try: Kamogelo Thloloe.
Daisies too strong for Sharks in Durban
Hard-running centre Zintle Mpupha added two tries to the three she scored last weekend, as the Isuzu Bulls Daises proved too classy for the Sharks Women at KP2 in Durban with a 45-3 victory.
The Springbok Women midfielder, who is the top try scorer for the national team in Tests, crossed the line once in each half, finishing off some stellar work by her pack, who dominated proceedings throughout.
Libbie Janse van Rensburg scored two early tries to set the tone in the first half, with Mary Zulu’s penalty goal in the 12th minute the only time the hosts would bother the scorers.
Mpupha scored at the end of the first half as the visitors took a 26-3 lead into the break, with three more tries in the second half easing them into a well-deserved win.
Scorers:
- Isuzu Bulls Daisies 45 (26) – Tries: Zintle Mpupha (2), Vainah Ubisi, Libbie Janse Van Rensburg (2), Camelitha Malone, Thobile Msizazwe. Conversions: Jakkie Cilliers (5).
- Sharks Women 3 (3) – Penalty goal: Mary Zulu.
Free State fight back to beat EP in Bloemfontein
The Free State Women delivered a strong second half performance in Bloemfontein, overhauling the EP Queens by scoring 14 unanswered points as they claimed their first win of the season at Toyota Stadium, by 21-12.
Both sides had their moments in the opening half, but it took just over 20 minutes for the first score. Free State No 8 Kamohelo Makoele broke the deadlock to hand her side a deserved lead.
The Queens then broke open the game with two quickfire tries. First fullback Siphenathi Yeko showed her soccer skills when she kicked ahead to dot down, with her conversion squaring things up. Just before the break, lock Esethu Mbongisa crashed over and suddenly the visitors were ahead.
Credit to Free State who rallied strongly in the second half to score two more tries. That was made easier by serious ill-discipline from the visitors, who conceded no less that three yellow cards in the second stanza, making the job of finding holes in their defence easier for the Bloemfontein side.
Left wing Nontobeko Mohuli’s try saw the home team retake the lead after an hour of play, before Makoele scored a second try to seal the deal for the Free State, 12 minutes from time.
Scorers:
- Free State Women 21 (7) – Tries: Kamohelo Makoele (2), Nontobeko Mohuli. Conversions: Juanine Jacobs (3).
- EP Queens 12 (12) – Tries: Siphenathi Yeko, Esethu Mbongisa. Conversion: Yeko.
Dames leave it late against Ladies
The Sanlam Boland Dames were made to work hard for their 45-21 win over the Border Ladies at Boland Stadium in Wellington, but they stepped things up in the second half as they finally managed to convert their attacking opportunities.
Border had most the running in the first half though, as they dominated possession, with the Dames not able to get any momentum against the visitors, who looked a far cry from the team that conceded a 100 points against the Daisies last weekend.
Border centre Aphiwe Ngwevu was a major player in this match and dominated the midfield. The Bok Women midfielder’s strong runs kept the Ladies on the front foot. Boland, on the other hand, could not find much fluency in the first half.
A yellow card to Ngwevu proved vital though as Border lost their sting and two tries by Sanlam Boland Dames edged them ahead. But the Ladies rallied and scored just before the break.
Unfortunately for Boland, fullback Chloe Adams executed a high tackle in the process and after an earlier yellow card, she was shown red, leaving the hosts to adjust their strategy in the second half.
The second half was more the Boland everyone expected to see. Their attack had much more zip and urgency, with scrumhalf Felicia Jacobs instrumental. In the end, they scored four second half tries as the increased tempo of play and the Wellington heat got the better of Border.
Scorers:
- Sanlam Boland Dames 45 (12) – Tries: Felicia Jacobs, Maxene Valentine, Aseza Hele, Ropha Madyah, Veroeshka Grain, Tereske Kabuika, Rufaro Tagarira. Conversions: Zintle Nonkasana (3), Chloe Adams, Tagarira.
- Border Ladies 21 (7) – Tries: Nombuyekezo Mdliki, Asiphe Mrweqana, Penalty Try. Conversions: Khanya Ketani, Zintle Holofela.
trouble mittens
The highest-scoring Rugby World Cup match occurred in 1995 when New Zealand defeated Japan 145-17, setting a record for the most points scored by a single team in a World Cup match.
Fire Feline
England is the only team in the northern hemisphere to have won the Rugby World Cup – Given the game’s origins in England, statistically southern hemisphere teams are wayyyyyyy better at rugby. In total there have been 9 Rugby World Cups. New Zealand have won 3, South Africa have won 3, Australia have won it twice, and England are the only team in the northern hemisphere to have won it. Maybe the Rugby World Cup 2023 hosted in France will be another win for a European team though!