WP 'happy' with winning start

Western Province got their 2010 Craven Week campaign off to the perfect start, following their 20-3 victory over the Lions in Welkom on Monday afternoon.

The Cape side - the defending champions - played enterprising, running rugby at the North West Stadium and dominated their opponents in most facets of play.

However, they managed just two tries on the day - through flanker Sikhumbuzo Notshet, early in the first half, and loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff who crashed over after the restart. Both tries were converted by flyhalf Gavin Hauptfleisch.

Hauptfleisch also added two penalties, whilst the Lions' only points came via a penalty goal from pivot Marais Schmidt. Both teams tried to spread the ball regularly to their wings with the Johannesburg side guilty of too many handling errors throughout the match.

Western Province though were the better of the two sides in the lineouts, at the breakdown and also boasted the superior scrum.

"I am very happy with the victory and just relieved to have started off the week with a win," said WP coach Chris October afterwards.

"The Lions were extremely physical in their approach, but our guys held their own up front," he added.

"We tried to play a running brand of rugby, but made a few handling errors during the game which stifled our rhythm."

Craven Week, Day Two fixtures:
9.10am: Zimbabwe vs Griquas Country Districts
11.30am: Valke vs Griquas
12.50pm: South Western Districts vs Pumas
2.10pm: KwaZulu-Natal vs Leopards
3.30pm: Free State vs Border