THREE-PEAT! Flawless Bulls Daisies beat WP...again

MATCH REPORT: Jakkie Cilliers scored a hat-trick of tries as Bulls Daisies claimed a remarkable 46-31 win over Western Province in the Women’s Premier Division Final.

The Bulls Daisies outscored the WP eight tries to four in a dramatic and intense Final at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The victory is the Bulls Daisies’ third Final triumph in a row – securing titles in 2023, 2024, and now 2025.

Bulls Daisies headed into the fixture as clear favourites, given their 69-0 win over the WP earlier this season.

However, it was not as smooth sailing for the first professional women’s team of the country.

They were forced to work for their points as the WP put up a brave fight until the end.

Cilliers scored three of the Daisies’ eight tries, while fellow Springbok Ayanda Malinga claimed a brace.

Faith Tshauke, Patience Mokone and Sanelisiwe Charlie were the other try-scorers.

WP certainly have reason to be proud. The side scored four tries courtesy of Mari Dalhouzie, Anushka Groenewald, Voice Ndou and Leigh Fortuin.

Elme Kruger and Alicia Willemse added two conversions, respectively, while Kruger’s drop goal was the highlight of the first half.

Back-to-back-to-back! The Bulls Daisies secure their third Women’s Premier Division title! Champions, history makers, legends#BullsDaisies | #CelebrateHER | #WPDFinal pic.twitter.com/KMMjB34AhJ

— BullsDaisies (@BullsDaisies) March 29, 2025

As expected, the hosts were the first on the board, No. 8 Faith Tshauke powering over the line after multiple attempts from the pack.

Province’s early defence was good. They stopped a couple of line-out drives and attacks on the flanks, where dangerous wing Malinga was given no space by WP’s alert tacklers.

However, the early composure the visitors showed was starting to disappear in the face of relentless attacks by the Bulls.

They made heavy weather of basic play, like getting out of their red zone with sloppy passing, charged down kicks and lost line-out throws near their own line.

With no way to relieve the pressure, even when in possession, it was a matter of time for something to give and it did 17 minutes in when Cilliers scored the first of her three tries from turnover ball near the WP line.

The Daisies outside centre crashed over to extend their lead to 10-0, with her second conversion attempt just missing the target despite a good strike.

That “soft try” almost refocused the visitors, who enjoyed a good couple of minutes and came within five metres of the Daisies’ line. Forcing the champions into some defensive errors reaped rewards when WP lock Dalhouzie crashed over from a quick tap and a good run by Azisa Mkiva. Elme Kruger converted, and the lead was down to three after 25 minutes.

The try sparked up the Daisies in turn, who kept the pressure from the restart, with no respite until Malinga was worked into space, where she scored the Daisies’ third try in just under half an hour. Cilliers added the conversion for a 17-7 lead.

WP attacked well for a couple of minutes, but when these attacks were thwarted by determined Daisies defence, Kruger slotted a drop goal that dripped of class. The three points were a good reward for a good spell of pressure placed on the Daisies.

That reaped more reward when Anuschka Groenewald intercepted a Byrhandre Dolf pass after the halftime hooter sounded when the Daises tried to run it from their own line after a good turnover. Kruger converted to square things up at the break.

Mokone scored a peach of a try shortly after play resumed. Daisies captain Micke Gunter won a good turnover, and her run created space on the outside and once the wing was fed the ball, there was no stopping the leading try scorer in the competition, who stepped inside and out to score. Cilliers converted, and suddenly, all the pressure was back on the visitors.

The Cape side lost fullback Donëy Filies due to a head knock early in the second half, and to add more misery, Sanelisiwe Charlie finished a lovely lineout move with good variation. Lerato Makua won the ball, it was moved to the front of the lineout, and there was no stopping Charlie from close range.

At 29-17 with 30 minutes left to play, things were looking ominous for the Capetonians. Cilliers scored her second on the stroke of the hour to extend the host team’s lead to 34-17, and from then on, it was just a matter of how much the Daisies would win by.

Ndou would not have any of it, as she scored a great try on the counter-attack. The WP wing, who scored in last year’s Final as well, raced in to dot down under the sticks, and the conversion cut the Daisies’ lead to 10.

Malinga countered, though, and after some soft hands on her inside, the Bulls’ speedster struck for the 39-24 lead.

Cilliers, who had an off day with the boot, scored her third with six minutes to play after more good handling by the inside backs. She converted to push the Daisies’ lead to 46-24.

WP wing Fortuin, who had a productive afternoon with ball in hand, got the last try of the match, after the final buzzer, when she scored in the corner. Alicia Willemse kicked a lovely conversion, but the 46-31 scoreline was a fair reflection of the day’s action.

The scorers:

For Bulls Daisies:
Tries: Tshauke, Cilliers 3, Malinga 2, Mokone, Charlie
Cons: Cilliers 3

For WP:
Tries: Dalhouzie, Groenewald, Ndou, Fortuin
Cons: Kruger 2, Willemse 2
Drop Goal: Kruger

Teams:

Bulls: 15 Chuma Qawe, 14 Patience Mokone, 13 Jakkie Cilliers, 12 Chumisa Qawe, 11 Shaunique Alexander, 10 Byrhandre Dolf (vice-captain), 9 Unam Tose, 8 Faith Tshauke, 7 Lerato Makua, 6 Sizophila Solontsi, 5 Anathi Qolo, 4 Ziyanda Ngohlekana, 3 Xolelwa Diliza, 2 Micke Gunter (captain), 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie.
Replacements: 16 Doreen Mkhabele, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Asithandile Ntoyanto, 19 Dineo Ndhlovu, 20 Sophy Mashapa, 21 Camelitha Malone, 22 Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 23 Maria Tshiremba.

Western Province: 15 Donëy Filies, 14 Leigh Fortuin, 13 Shaunique Hess (captain), 12 Shaundre Francke, 11 Voice Ndou, 10 Elme Kruger, 9 Lauren Adams, 8 Logan Welman, 7 Anelisiwe Mxabo, 6 Anushka Groenewald, 5 Nomsa Mokwai, 4 Mari Dalhouzie, 3 Azisa Mkiva, 2 Luchell Hanekom, 1 Nomkhita Chuba.
Replacements: 16 Bronishia Hess, 17 Anuckha Ekron, 18 Thandile Mazwi, 19 Arzydia Komar, 20 Zindiswa Xozwa, 21 Lihle Mzimkhulu, 22 Insaaf Levy, 23 Alicia Willemse.

Referee: Luvuyo Maceba
Assistant referees: Angie Bezuidenhout, Siyanda Pikoli

*Additional Source: SA Rugby