Western Province laid down a marker for the Currie Cup campaign with a comprehensive 32-0 victory over Free State Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday.
Tries from Ruhan Nel, Juarno Augustus, Scarra Ntubeni and JD Schickerling proved far too much for the visitors.
The inclement conditions made handling and passing difficult, with plenty of errors making for a stop-start affair. Augustus would be yellow-carded in the fifth minute for tackling a player in the air, but the visitors would fail to make anything of their numerical advantage.
The first half was a drab and low-scoring affair with a lot of time taken up due to scrum resets due to the terrible conditions.
SP Marais would slot two penalties but the first try of the match would only come after the half-time hooter when Nel exploited a gap in the defence to dot down after some persistent Province pressure. Marais added the conversion as the home side took a 13-0 lead into the interval.
Five minutes after the break, a Jano Vermaak box-kick forced Rabz Maxwane into taking the ball over his own dead-ball line. From the five-metre scrum, the hosts would capitalise with Augustus scoring a superb individual try as he shrugged off four defenders for a magnificent finish. Marais somehow added the extras as the heavens well and truly began to open up, making it even more difficult for the players.
The hosts would then score two tries ten minutes apart from each to other to put the game beyond doubt. First, Ntubeni crashed over at the back of a driving maul before Schickerling powered over from close range as Province surged into an unassailable 32-0 lead.
No points would be scored in the final quarter as Province held on for a precious clean sheet.
The scorers:
For Western Province:
Tries: Nel, Augustus, Ntubeni, Schickerling
Cons: Marais 3
Pens: Marais 2
Yellow Card: Augustus
Western Province: 15 SP Marais, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Dillyn Leyds (c), 10 Josh Stander, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Kobus van Dyk, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Michael Kumbirai, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Ali Vermaak
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Herschel Jantjies, 21 Dan du Plessis, 22 Sergeal Petersen
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Malcolm Jaer, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Nico Lee, 11 William Small-Smith, 10 Louis Fouche, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Aidon Davis, 7 Oupa Mohoje (c), 6 Jasper Wiese, 5 Dennis Visser, 4 Justin Basson, 3 Güther Janse van Vuuren, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Erich de Jager, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 Stephan Malan, 20 Junior Pokomela, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Ernst Stapelberg
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Nathan Swartz
TMO: Shaun Veldsman