Province being targeted

Western Province felt their are being "targeted" by other teams as the defending Currie Cup champions.

Province were held to an exciting 24-all draw in their season-opener against the Blue Bulls at Newlands on Saturday.

Province produced an adventurous first-half display, which saw them score twice in the opening 20 minutes and race into a 14-6 half-time lead.

The Bulls, however, produced excellent passages of play in the final quarter - after having trailed 9-21.

It was only a missed conversion in the last minute that stood between the visitors and a famous win at Newlands.

WP hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni described their game as "appalling" and said they have a target on their backs as defending champions.

"Our set piece were appalling, our breakdown was appalling, we made too mistakes and gave away too many penalties," the energetic No.2 said.

"In the line-outs we missed one or two in the first half, but after the break we were better.

"We knew from the outset that the X [a target] was on our backs [as defending champions], we knew we had to up our game.

"The result today was pretty disappointing," Ntubeni added.

Province skipper Deon Fourie was equally disappointed with the outcome.

"We lit it slip there," Fourie said, admitting that the scrums were a major problem.

"We worked hard on it, but it didn't come off.

"Also, discipline cost us and I was the main culprit and we have to work on that.

"Maybe it was first-game jitters, but next week we are at home again [against the Free State Cheetahs], so hopefully we can sort all that out,"