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East London - Western Province have beaten hosts Border Bulldogs 29-16 in their Vodacom Cup match at Buffalo City Stadium in East London on Friday, taking a bonus point after scoring five tries to Border’s one.
The half-time score was 17-13 in favour of the visitors.
Border scrumhalf Mario Nooordman again had a good match and was always in the thick of things, setting up a number of exciting movements for the Bulldogs while his bullet-like passes kept his back-line moving nicely.
In the second minute he almost got the scoreboard moving, with a neat chip from 25 metres out, which landed a metre from the Province tryline but their defence held and a penalty pushed the home team back.
Province opened the scoring when their strong number eight, Rayn Smid, dived over in the sixth minute after a fine movement along the right side by the Province backs.
Flyhalf Gary van Aswegen converted.
Three minutes later, WP were penalised with hands in the ruck and Border centre Jeffrey Taljard made no mistake with an excellent penalty from 30 metres out.
Border kept up their attack and Noordman was rewarded when he dived over close to the right-hand post for Taljard to add the two points.
Taljard was on target with a further penalty moments later and Border held a six-point cushion at 13-7.
Disaster struck for the visitors, however, as prop, Deacon Chowles had to get urgent attention after a heavy tackle and was eventually stretchered off and was replaced by Christo van Wyk.
Just before half-time Noordman made a bad error when his relieving kick close to the Border line was charged down and as a result Smid went over for his second try, but Van Aswegan missed the conversion.
WP scored again just before half-time when fullback Adrian Roberts swooped on the ball and forced his way over and again Van Aswegen failed with the conversion.
Both teams went on the attack after the break and in the eighth minute Taljard missed a chance with a penalty kick some 30 metres out after the Province backline was adjudged off-side, pulling the ball wide to the left side of the posts.
The first score after half-time came after 21 minutes and again it was a try to WP.
Their wing JP Lewis was on hand to dive over after some sloppy Border defence. This time Roberts was successful with the conversion.
Province tried a few scissors-movements and it was Lewis who, seeing a gap in the same position on the right side, barged over in the right hand corner for his second try.
Border then narrowed the deficit to 13 points after 34 minutes when substitute Neill Jacobs succeeded with a penalty 40 metres out.
