The Bulls Daisies and DHL Western Province will contest the 2024 SA Rugby Women’s Premier Division final on Saturday in Pretoria after winning their respective semifinals against Border Ladies and Sanlam Boland Dames.
The final is a rematch of the 2023 edition, which the Daisies won comfortably.
On Saturday, the Pretoria hosts had too many weapons in their arsenal for Border, winning 43-12 after leading 24-0 at the break. The home side’s pack of forwards were totally dominant in the game and their line-out drives worked to a tee. Hooker Xolelwa Diliza scored three tries off the back of those and in total, six of their seven tries were scored by the pack.
The Daisies took control early on and kept Border on the back foot throughout the match. The visitors managed to score twice in the second half, including a neat five-pointer by Eloise Webb, but were no match for the Daisies on the day.
DHL Western Province replacement winger, Asiphe Mayaba, was the toast of the DHL Stadium faithful when she scored the match-winning try for her side at the death of their semifinal against the Dames. The try edged them to a 20-17 victory and into the finals in Pretoria next weekend.
It was a close match throughout, with both sides enjoying good spells. Boland will look at their scrum dominance and question why that did not yield better results and also ponder some weak defence on the perimetres, which not only allowed Mayaba her match-winner, but also got Voice Ndou her five pointer.
Scores were even at the break, but when Boland scored twice via Nompumelelo Mathe and Nomawethu Mabenge and took the lead with ten minutes left, they looked set for a trip up North, but it was not to be as WP responded with two scores of their own and Mayaba’s at the end being the decisive moment of the match.
Scoring summary:
Bulls Daisies 43 (24), Border Ladies 12 (0)
Scorers:
Daisies - Tries: Xolelwa Diliza (3), Vainah Ubisi, Faith Tshauke, Jakkie Cilliers, Lebogang Ralebona. Conversions: Cilliers (4).
Border - Tries: Eloise Webb, Owethu Nayiphi. Conversions: Webb.
DHL Western Province 20 (5), Sanlam Boland Dames 17 (5)
Scorers:
WP - Tries: Shaunique Hess, Voice Ndou, Asiphe Mayaba. Conversion: Alicia Willemse. Penalty goal: Willemse.
Dames - Tries: Nompumelelo Mathe, Nomawethu Mabenge, Chuma Qawe. Conversion: Qawe.
SWD EAGIRLS AND LEOPARDS RACE INTO FIRST DIVISION FINAL
The SWD Eagirls laid down their strongest marker of the season in Mossel Bay on Saturday when they outscored Pumas Women 11 tries to one in their SA Rugby Women’s First Division semifinal, winning 67-5 to earn a home final next weekend.
They will meet Leopards Women at Outeniqua Park on Friday afternoon after the Potchefstroom side outplayed Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 32-17 at Olen Park.
The Leopards were always in control on home soil and were leading 22-7 at the break but, as always during the season, the Limpopo side refused to go away and stayed in the fight.
The Leopards had too much to offer though, and secured their trip to the Garden Route with a solid display between forwards and backs.
The Eagirls were on fire, with their backline almost untouchable. Shannon Lee Windvogel was again deadly in her finishing, scoring three tries, while the hard-working pack had no qualms about feeding their dominant backs all afternoon.
Scoring summary:
SWD Eagirls 67 (29), Pumas Women 5 (5)
Scorers:
SWD - Tries: Nicole-Kay Flandorf, Danielle Jonas, Prelene Pegram, Marnazelle Rabie, Shannon Lee Windvogel (3), Shannon Pieterse, Chante Jonck, Siviwe Basweni, Destiny Daters. Conversions: Rabie (6).
Pumas - Try: Sonia Khumalo.
Leopards Women 32 (22), Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 17 (7)
Scorers:
Leopards - Tries: Teddy Gatyana, Baby Plaatjies, Teddy Boer, Kagisho Miggels, Verana Van Heerden, Kat Pomane. Conversion: Van Heerden.
Limpopo - Tries: Mahlatse Lekola (2), Katlego Mokaba. Conversion: Evelyn Mkhabele.