The Bulls Daisies remain on top after a big victory over the Golden Lions Women in a Gauteng derby, but Sanlam Boland Dames slipped to third spot after they lost to the Sharks Women in Durban in a low scoring affair on Saturday.

Border Ladies are in fourth after edging out the Free State Women in East London, followed by the Sharks. The Free Staters, in their debut season in the Premier Division, are in sixth place. The Lions, who won only one game in the first seven matches, and the winless Queens prop up the log.

Bulls Daisies players Jakkie Cilliers (64 points) and Unathi Mali (11 tries) are the leading points’ scorers halfway though the competition.

The Sharks Women delivered their best performance of the season, edging Sanlam Boland Dames 9-8 in a very tight match with very small margins in Durban. The home side were more committed on defence and showed better tactical awareness.

Their decision to kick to posts rather than force lineouts yielded three crucial penalty goals, all by Springbok Women’s utility back Mary Zulu, but the same cannot be said for Boland, who butchered numerous opportunities through their driving mauls.

Dames flanker Buhle Sonamzi scored the only try of the match from a lineout drive, but that was scant reward for the territorial possession Boland enjoyed for most of the match.

The Daisies rebounded in expected fashion and scored nine tries to three in their 52-17 victory over the Golden Lions Women in Alberton. It was a tight affair in the first half, with the home side managing to contain the Bulls and at 21-5, still had some say in play.

The second half was dominated by the Daisies though, and they scored six tries, with Cilliers dotting down three times. The Springbok Women’s outside back also kicked six conversions for a personal haul of 27 points. Mali scored twice to remain the leading try scorer in the competition.

The trusted boot of flyhalf Yandisa Nobanda proved the difference in East London, where Border Ladies had to work hard for a 14-10 win over the visiting Free State Women.

Nobanda converted both her team's tries at Baysville High School, while the visitors, who also scored twice, failed to hit the target from the tee, and that secured a hard-fought win to the Border team.

It was a tight affair throughout as the teams matched each other in most of the phases of play. The home side did not do themselves any favours late in the second half though, as they conceded two yellow cards. Border finished the match with only 13 players, not ideal if you are defending a slender lead.

It was one-way traffic in Nelson Mandela Bay where DHL Western Province ran in 13 tries without reply to the EP Queens and won by 73-0. The Capetonians were up 34-0 at the break and almost scored at will in the second half.

The potent WP backline enjoyed the wide open spaces they were given at Wolfson Stadium, with both Shaunique Hess and Alicia Arries scoring hat-tricks and Voice Ndou and Mari Dalhouzie bagging two each.

Scorers:

Golden Lions Women 17 (5), Bulls Daisies 52 (21)
Lions – Tries: Xoliswa Khuzwayo, Nthabiseng Monyemore, Stella Ncube. Conversion: Masingita Simango.
Bulls – Tries: Lusanda Dumke, Vainah Ubisi, Jakkie Cilliers (3), Unathi Mali (2), Marlize de Bruin. Conversions: Cilliers (6).

EP Queens 0, DHL Western Province 73 (34)
WP – Tries: Thandile Mazwi, Mari Dalhouzie (2), Anelisiwe Mxabo, Voice Ndou (2), Shaunique Hess (3), Alichia Arries (3), Anuckha Ekron. Conversions: Anja le Roux (2), Ndou (2).

Border Ladies 14 (7), Free State Women 10 (5)
Border – Tries: Mado Mdliki, Nqatyiswa Lufutha. Conversions: Yandisa Nobanda (2).
Free State – Tries: Nomfundo Pampiri, Lonele Fuzile.

Sharks Women 9 (3), Sanlam Boland Dames 8 (0)
Sharks – Penalty goals: Mary Zulu (3).
Boland – Try: Buhle Sonamzi. Penalty goal: Thanie Yeko.