Western Province kick Currie Cup campaign off with skinning of Lions

Western Province made a dream start when they won a penalty for the tackler not rolling away and they opted for touch seven metres out. The maul worked to fine effect and Scarra Ntubeni powered over at the back of it before Kade Wolhuter added the extras.

The Lions responded with a try of their own after a brilliant break by Boldwin Henson and he managed to get it in the left-hand corner. Vaughan Isaacs added the extras, levelling things up on the scoreboard.

WP got their second try in the 20th minute. Clayton Blommetjies kicked a 50/22 and the Province continued to build off that momentum by winning clean line-out ball. The ball went wide and Marcel Theunissen powered over the try line as he cut through the Lions defensive line and Wolhuter added the two.

Juan de Jongh was sin-binned in the 30th minute and the Lions capitalised on the numerical advantage with a five-pointer when Hansen got in for a second try after some brilliant hands from the backs.

WP scored two in quick succession to stretch the lead when first Keke Morabe went over at the back of a driving maul. The second came as Suleiman Hartzenberg finished off a well-worked try as they continued to apply pressure on the Lions.

Replacement hooker Andre-Hugo Venter dotted down next for Province in the 64th minute after the maul fell short and he broke away to power over the whitewash. The Lions responded soon after when they managed to put a bit of play together of their own before Raynard Roets crashed over to make it 21-41.

The Lions scored another try to add a little bit of respectability to the scoreline when Nico Steyn caught the Province defenders napping with a quick tap and go before cleverly going into the base of the post at the defenders' feet.