Cheetahs Queens bag first win as big guns continue to dominate
ROUND TWO WRAP: 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 Bulls Daisies, Western Province and 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.
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 Boland Dames outlasted the Border Ladies in a hot Wellington, winning 45-21.
Slick WP too fluent for Lions in Bellville
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.
Daisies too strong for Sharks in Durban
Hard-running centre Zintle Mpupha added two tries to the three she scored last weekend, as the 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.
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.
Dames leave it late against Border Ladies
The 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.
All the results of Round Two:
Western Province 53-5 Golden Lions
The scorers:
For Western Province
Tries: Shaunique Hess 2, Voice Ndou 2, Babalwa Latsha 2, Logan Welman 2, Raeeqah Hendricks.
Cons: Elme Kruger 4
For Golden Lions Women
Try: Kamogelo Thloloe.
Bulls Daisies 45-3 Sharks Women
The scorers:
Bulls Daisies:
Tries: Zintle Mpupha 2, Vainah Ubisi, Libbie Janse Van Rensburg 2, Camelitha Malone, Thobile Msizazwe
Cons: Jakkie Cilliers 5
For Sharks Women
Penalty: Mary Zulu.
Cheetahs Queens 21-12 EP Queens
The scorers:
For Free State Women
Tries: Kamohelo Makoele 2, Nontobeko Mohuli.
Conversions: Juanine Jacobs 3
For EP Queens:
Tries: Siphenathi Yeko, Esethu Mbongisa.
Conversion: Yeko.
Boland Dames 45-21 Border Ladies
The scorers:
For Boland Dames:
Tries: Felicia Jacobs, Maxene Valentine, Aseza Hele, Ropha Madyah, Veroeshka Grain, Tereske Kabuika, Rufaro Tagarira.
Conversions: Zintle Nonkasana 3, Chloe Adams, Tagarira.
For Border Ladies:
Tries: Nombuyekezo Mdliki, Asiphe Mrweqana, Penalty Try.
Conversions: Khanya Ketani, Zintle Holofela.
