Province face acid test in Kimberley

After picking up a 31-23 bonus-point win over the Pumas at Newlands on Saturday, the Cape side next face Griquas – a team who they are competing with in the race to the play-offs

Despite a fairly unconvincing performance against the team from Nelspruit, Province head coach John Dobson believes his team is ready to put up a fight in Kimberley and keep their play-offs hope alive.

"They have got their 130th anniversary, and they are having a great season, Dobson told reporters after his team's win over the Pumas.

"They have said before this game that they are targeting the Western Province game, so we are under no illusions.

"It is a quarterfinal for us, and again they are a big, older pack, and some really good strike runners. They are a big, physical team, but I think we are much more alive for it and confident than we were a few weeks ago."

If they are to beat Griquas at their own home ground, Dobson believes that his players will have to improve their discipline.

"Our discipline is a major concern, we won't win in Kimberley next week, which we need to do, if our discipline is like that.

"It was important to get the confidence of the four tries, so I think there is a bit of excitement now about next week.

"Given all of our issues, we are fighting," he added.

Meanwhile, Province captain Chris van Zyl believes that their performance against a strong Pumas pack will give them some much-needed confidence heading into that important clash against Griquas.

"It was tough and I think we definitely stood up against that Pumas pack, and we can take some confidence out of that," said Van Zyl

"It is going to be a similar type of challenge that we are going to face against Griquas, and we are going to have to stand up."