Women’s Premier Division Round 5 Preview

The Women’s Premier Division will strike the halfway mark in dramatic fashion this weekend as the competition pace-setters, the Border Ladies and DHL Western Province, meet in a repeat of the 2019 final where both teams’ unbeaten status will be on the line.

The showdown between these arch-rivals will take centre stage in a bumper round, which kicks off on Friday afternoon with the Blue Bulls Women hosting the Cell C Sharks Women in Pretoria. This clash will be broadcast live on SuperSport (16h00).

Saturday’s action will see defending champions, DHL Western Province, hosting the Border Ladies in a top-of-the-table clash in Cape Town (13h00), and the Boland Dames welcoming the EP Queens to Wellington (14h00), with these matches being streamed live on Springboks.rugby.

In Pretoria, the Blue Bulls Women will be determined to build on their first victory of the season last week when they cross paths with the Cell C Sharks Women, who are hurting from back-to-back defeats in which they failed to score any points.

While the Durbanites have been slightly better on defence than the women from the Highveld, they have been less effective on attack, which is an area they will be determined to improve on as the competition heats up.

Interestingly, the Cell C Sharks Women won the last two matches between the teams, which will inspire them going into the clash.

The match-up between DHL Western Province and the Border Ladies is expected to be epic given the teams’ impressive form this season and the history between them, which has seen them battle it out in every final since the 2016 season.

The team from East London hold a slender one-point lead on the standings after both sides got their campaigns off to firing starts with four victories in a row. But this could come to dramatic halt for one of them on Saturday.

While the sides have been closely matched on defence with DHL Western Province conceding two points fewer, the Capetonians have also been in superior form on attack, boasting 32 more points in their opening four matches.

DHL Western Province will enter the match with confidence after registering victories in the last three matches between the sides – two of which were finals – and a favourable track record of four wins in their last six outings.

The Boland Dames and EP Queens will both look to bounce back from defeats when they take the field in Wellington.

The visitors, however, will have to step up their defence in particular to achieve this feat, as that area of their game has been a cause for concern, although their attack has been marginally better than the opposition in the opening rounds.

In their last outing against the Bolanders, the EP Queens walked away with a rewarding 36-0 victory in Wellington.

Women’s Premier Division fixtures:

Friday, 4 June

Blue Bulls Women v Cell C Sharks Women
Time: 16h00
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Christopher Allison and local referee
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen
TV: SuperSport Rugby

Saturday, 5 June

DHL Western Province v Border Ladies
Time: 13h00 (live stream on Springboks.rugby)
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Ashleigh Murray-Pretorius
Assistant referees: Local referees

Boland Dames v EP Queens
Time: 14h00 (live stream on Springboks.rugby)
Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Maria Mabote
Assistant referees: Local referees

Women's Premier Division

New French threat to Leinster’s European ambitions...

Leinster’s imperious performance in their quarter-final ensured that this year it won’t be Stade Rochelais pipping them ...

Sharks book historic EPCR semi-final spot...

The Hollywoodbets Sharks succeeded in their quest to become the first South African team to advance to the semi-final of...

Tries aplenty in thrilling 2024 opening round...

The defending champions and runners-up in the Women’s Premier Division, the Bulls Daisies and DHL Western Province, scor...

Home teams dominate in SA Cup fourth round...

The Airlink Pumas, Suzuki Griquas, Toyota Cheetahs and Leopards again made it a profitable weekend for home teams in the...

Free State to add spice as Premier Division kicks ...

Newly promoted Free State Women will add some spice to the 2024 Women’s Premier Division when the tournament kicks off i...

It’s Go Time as Boks and MTN renew partnership

MTN has renewed its headline sponsorship of the world champion Springboks, with the multinational mobile telecommunications giant also confirmed as a principal partner for the eagerly awaited Castle Lager Lions Series, SA Rugby announced on Wednesday.

PAS on board as Official Performance Nutrition Supplier

SA Rugby and the British & Irish Lions have today announced Pro Athlete Supplementation (PAS) as Official Performance Nutrition Supplier of the 2021 Castle Lager Lions Series in South Africa.

Tuks down UCT to lift fourth FNB Varsity Cup

The University of Pretoria survived a second-half fightback from the University of Cape Town to claim a 34-27 victory in the FNB Varsity Cup final at Tuks Stadium in Pretoria on Monday night, securing their fourth title, having previously won the competition in 2012, 2013 and 2017.

Sage hopes to add right spice to Olympic mix

It has been a while for Dylan Sage, but old habits die hard in the Springbok Sevens team. Therefore, the two-time HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series winner and – perhaps even more importantly – Olympic Games bronze medallist, took but a couple of training sessions with the Blitzboks to be fully charged up again, despite more than a year away from the squad.

Unbeaten Benetton remain top in race to Rainbow Cup final

Benetton stayed on course for what for them would be a dream home final in the Rainbow Cup against whoever wins the South African leg of the competition, with a hard fought but richly deserved win over Connacht.

Border to return to action in provincial competitions

The Border Bulldogs will return to provincial rugby action for the first time in 17 months when the Carling Currie Cup First Division kicks off later this month, with Lumumba Currie appointed as new head coach to guide the team in 2021.

Leinster and Glasgow have all to play for

Defending Guinness PRO14 champions Leinster and Scottish hopefuls Glasgow Warriors go into round five of this weekend’s Rainbow Cup clashes knowing the loser will have their title hopes squashed, while the winner will have a chance to catch log leaders Benetton.

Important weeks ahead for Stedman Gans

A trip from Cape Town to Gauteng normally meant Stedman Gans had concluded his Springbok Sevens duties and was on his way to the Vodacom Bulls, who benefitted from the outside centre’s exciting play during last year’s Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked and Carling Currie Cup campaigns.

Strong second half steers Bulls Women to victory

The Blue Bulls Women scored three second half tries to shut out the Cell C Sharks Women for a 30-18 bonus-point victory in a tightly contested Women’s Premier Division match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Friday.

Vodacom Bulls sneak home in Pretoria

Heavily penalised and under massive defensive pressure for most of the match, the DHL Stormers almost clinched a remarkable win at Loftus Versfeld, but in the end a last-minute try by the Vodacom Bulls' hard-working lock Ruan Nortje ensured they kept their grip firmly at the top of the PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA log with a nail-biting 31-27 victory in Pretoria on Friday night.