DHL WP supporters must have had high hopes for their team when the sides went into the halftime break locked at 8-8, after both outfits have scored a try and a penalty goal.

However, instead of the home team taking the game to the visitors after the break, it was the Lowvelders who piled on the pressure to score four more tries as they deservingly gained a vital bonus point victory.

Right wing Sebastian de Klerk scored two of the visitors' five tries, while inside centre Eddie Fouche kept the scoreboard ticking over with three conversions and two penalty goals to cap a fine individual performance with the boot. Flyhalf Kade Wolhuter kicked DHL WP's sole penalty goal in the second half. 

It was the home side who struggled in the lineouts as well as during scrum time, while they were also found wanting on defence as the game opened up.

The result left the Capetonians with five losses in six starts, while Jimmy Stonehouse’s outfit improved to two wins from their six games to keep alive their chances of a playoff spot.

The visitors started like a house on fire by pinning the home team inside their own half, forcing several scrums and a couple of penalties. From one such scrum penalty, they worked the ball patiently wide to De Klerk to run in for the opening try. Fouche saw his conversion attempt charged down, but he was on target with his first penalty goal a few minutes later.

Angelo Davids goes over for DHL WP's first try.

However, the DHL WP backline showed their sharp attacking teeth a few minutes later when prolific winger Angelo Davids scored a five pointer with a clinical finish in the corner despite the close attention of a desperate defender.

Despite struggling in the scrums, the Province pack forced a scrum penalty which Wolhuter easily steered through the uprights to draw the scores level at 8-8 halfway through the opening stanza. 

Unfortunately, the hosts suffered a setback when Davids sustained a shoulder injury and was replaced by Rikus Pretorius.

The visitors started the second half in pretty much the same fashion as the first, and just two minutes into the second stanza DHL WP scrumhalf, Godlen Masimla, was yellow carded for a cynical foul.

Willie Engelbrecht’s team elected to go for touch with the penalty kick and from the resultant lineout flanker Anele Lungisa controlled the ball at the back of the advancing maul to score their second try.

Fouche raised the flags with the conversion and moments later also slotted his second penalty goal of the afternoon to hand the Lowvelders a 10-point cushion at 18-8.

Wolhuter then added three points for the home side, but with Masimla still in the sin bin, the Airlink Pumas launched another counter attack which saw De Klerk doing very well to slip his marker on the outside and ran in his for second try of the afternoon.

Fouche added the extras as the pink and grey jerseys pulled further ahead at 25-11.

Engelbrecht, who had a fine game in the No 8 jersey, then fittingly scored their fourth and bonus point try from a turnover as the visitors continued to heap on the pressure, while a flying Tapiwa Mafura added a fifth try to rub salt into the wounds of the home side.

Scorers: 

DHL Western Province 11 (8) - Try: Angelo Davids. Penalty goals: Kade Wolhuter (2).

Airlink Pumas 37 (8) - Tries: Sebastian de Klerk (2), Anele Lungisa, Willie Engelbrecht, Tapiwa Mafura. Conversions: Eddie Fouche (3). Penalty goals: Fouche (2).