Eugene Eloff's team started the match in great fashion by building multiple phases, defending like demons when they had to, but more than anything else, they looked much happier than the team who didn't win a single match in the 2009 competition.

Province, with the likes of Willem de Waal, Frikkie Welsch and Fabian Juries in the side, never really got into the match with Boland controlling the majority of the ball.

Boland flanker Franzel September scored two tries in the first half. And his flyhalf, Dean Grant, had an exceptional afternoon with the boot. At the break the 'visiting home team' led by 22-16, with Coenrad Marias scoring Province's only try.

Hottie Louw scored his first try in a Boland-jersey shortly after play started again. Boland mauled the visitors over their own tryline after gaining position and a line-out from a penalty.

The former Province- and Blue Bulls lock got sent off the field shortly afterwards, but that didn't stop Zandré Jordaan from scoring Boland's fith try. PJ Vermeulen (centre) deserves to be mentioned in this movement.

Though Province scored two more tries in the last quarter, it was too little too late. Boland had the upper hand in the scrums, in the rucks and mauls, and their performance was not that of a team who went through a hellish 2009 - both on and off the field.

Scorers:

Boland - Tries: Franzel September (2), Dean Grant, Hottie Louw, Zandré Jordaan. Conversions: Dean Grant (3). Penalties: Grant (2).
Vodacom WP 28 - Tries: Coenrad Marais, Yaya Hartzenberg, Bradley Fortuin. Conversions: De Waal (2). Penalties: De Waal (3).