DHL Western Province will travel to Pretoria to take on the Bulls Daisies in the final of the Women’s Premier Division next weekend after edging the Sanlam Boland Dames 32-29 in a frantic match in Bellville on Saturday, while the defending champions closed out the final round of the competition with an emphatic 96-0 dismantling of the Free State Women in Pretoria.
Elsewhere, the Border Ladies secured fourth place on the log with a 27-22 win over the EP Queens in Mdantsane and the Sharks Women heaped more misery on the Golden Lions Women in Krugersdorp with a 33-22 victory to hand the Gautengers their seventh consecutive defeat for the season.
The match at Rosina Paarwater Stadium, played in blustery and wet conditions, had one simple dynamic: the winner will book their place in the final in Pretoria to face the Daisies. It was the home side that showed they wanted it more by outplaying the team ranked second coming into the fixture.
DHL WP, playing with a wind from behind in the first half, laid the foundations for the victory in the opening stanza and their 22-12 lead at the break proved decisive in the end.
They defended bravely and had good structure on attack, while the Boland side looked rather lethargic when going forward and apart from the odd burst by Aseza Hele, the visitors had few options on attack.
WP scored two crucial tries in the space of 10 minutes late in the half while having a player in the sin bin, and that boosted their confidence as well.
They sealed the deal with a fifth try late in the second half and although the Dames set up a nail-biting finish with Hele’s hat-trick, the home side held their composure for a deserved win.
Meanwhile in Pretoria, it was a real rout as the defending champions scored 16 tries in a runaway win. The Free State Women never gave up, but poor handling cost them dearly. They spilled the ball while on attack several times, only for the Daisies to counter and score at the other side of the field.
The Daisies went through their work like the professional outfit they are. They were clinical on attack and punished their opponents’ mistakes severely in a performance that bodes well for next weekend’s final.
Ill-discipline almost cost the Border Ladies in their final fixture of the season against their Eastern Cape rivals, the EP Queens. They played well in the first half and held a solid 27-17 lead at the break, but the wheels came off in dramatic fashion in the second half.
Four yellow cards, all for repeated breakdown offences, handed all the momentum to the visitors and although the Queens only scored once in the half and failed to capitalize playing against 14 opponents, the Ladies were the most relieved team when the final whistle went.
The Golden Lions started well against the Sharks Women at Noordheuwel High School and held the lead after 20 minutes after two well-worked tries but then faltered against their coastal opponents.
The Sharks scored three times in the first half for a 21-12 lead at the break and once Owami Zikhali (left wing) scored her third early in the second half, they looked set to cruise to victory.
Hard-working Lions No 8 Aliyah Tchogna-Njamen’s try with four minutes left close the gap to six points, but the Sharks had the final say when Kwanele Zungu right wing) added a fifth try to their tally.
Scorers:
Golden Lions Women 22 (12), Sharks Women 33 (21)
Lions – Tries: Promise Sithole, Sinalo Honono, Aliyah Tchogna-Njamen, Sarah Mokwebo. Conversion: Provia Mashiane.
Sharks – Tries: Owami Zikhali (3), Kwanele Zungu, Megan Comley. Conversions: Mary Zulu (4).
DHL Western Province 32 (22), Sanlam Boland Dames 29 (12)
WP – Tries: Azisa Mkiva, Anelisiwe Mxobo, Elme Kruger, Voice Ndou, Zandiswa Xozwa. Conversions: Elme Kruger (2). Penalty goal: Kruger.
Boland – Tries: Nomawethu Mabenge, Aseza Hele (3), Anita Tom. Conversions: Theresa Ruiters, Lara Schats.
Bulls Daisies 96 (51), Free State Women 0
Bulls – Tries: Xolelwa Diliza, Faith Tshauke, Camelitha Malone (2), Ayanda Malinga (2), Chuma Qawe, Patience Mokone (4), Karabo Lebotsa, Shaunique Alexander (3), Lucky Nkhumishe. Conversions: Jakkie Cilliers (8).
Border Ladies 27 (27), EP Queens 22 (17)
Border – Tries: Aphiwe Ngwevu, Eloise Webb, Owethu Nayiphi, Bridgette Coetzee. Conversions: Coetzee (2). Penalty goal: Zintle Holofela.
EP – Tries: Sibabalwe Klaas, Ruzanne George, Celine May, Hlomla Puzi. Conversion: Yandisa Nobanda.
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