A good start counts for nothing if you don’t finish the job.
And that’s why it will be important for Western Province to kick on from their superb start to this year’s Currie Cup competition.
Entering their clash against Griquas at Newlands this weekend, the defending champions turned on the style in their match against the Golden Lions at Ellis Park, running in nine tries to bag a 65-38 win.
One of those tries was set up expertly by hooker Scarra Ntubeni.
After winning a Lions lineout in their own 22, Province started a counterattack via No.8 Juarno Augustus.
He then chicken-winged the ball to Ntubeni, who drew in two defenders before popping a no-looker over his head to Paul de Wet who sprinted home.
It was a superb piece of skill by Ntubeni, who jokes: “Luckily it came off, otherwise I would have been in trouble and gone off at half time.”
What that move displayed was the freedom with which Province play under coach John Dobson.
But while they have started their title defence like a house on fire, Ntubeni knows the job is far from done with the team having won three of their six round- robin games.
He adds of the Ellis Park win: “[It was] one of the special victories, in the past while I’ve been here [at WP], we’ve not done that at Ellis Park.
“And hopefully we can only get better from here and keep working hard this week.”