Cape Town - Hosts Western Province out-muscled the visiting Boland Cavaliers and scored two tries to record a 16-8 victory in the Vodacom Cup match played at City Park, in Cape Town, on Saturday.
The first points of the encounter belonged to Western Province flyhalf Gary van Aswegen as he slotted an early penalty for the hosts.
The Cavaliers were under enormous pressure in the scrums and Martin Dreyer was sent to the sin-bin as a result.
Western Province were unable to make their numerical advantage count and it was the visitors who nearly scored the opening five-pointer. Boland were inches away from a superb score after a strong break by center Albert Trytsman, but saw prop Khwezi Mkhafu held off by Province.
Fullback Eric Zana opened his account with a penalty as home side had transgressed earlier in the passage of play and the teams were level at 3-3.
With the clock winding down to half-time, Rayn Smid was shown a yellow card after being the unlucky player to earn the ire of the referee.
Boland were first on the board after the break when Dreyer made amends for his earlier transgression when he forced his considerable bulk over the line to score.
Zana missed the conversion and the visitors held an unlikely lead at 8-3.
The hosts started to compose themselves and the young flyer Devon Williams crossed twice to draw his side level at 8-8 with Van Aswegen unable to convert. After a superb run by Johnny Kotze, it was Williams who rounded off to help Province reclaim the lead at 13-8 after Van Aswegen missed the kick at goal.
After replacement prop Os Hamman won a penalty in the scrum, Van Aswegen widened the margin to 16-8 with his second successful penalty.
Boland were down to 14 men again after Ashton Constant was sent to the sidelines for 10 minutes after a yellow for repeated infringements at the breakdown.
Cheswin Williams joined his team-mate in the sin-bin, leaving Boland down to 13 men on the field.
Scorers:
Western Province
Tries: Devin Williams (2)
Penalties: Gary van Aswegen (2)
Boland Cavaliers
Try: Zandre Jordaan
Penalty: Eric Zana