Leopards made to fight all the way to preserve unbeaten run

Sep 27 • General News • 1388 Views • Comments Off on Leopards made to fight all the way to preserve unbeaten run

The Hino Valke made the Leopards fought all the way to preserve their unbeaten status on Friday afternoon in Kempton Park, where the visitors won 36-29 to finish the Absa Currie Cup round-robin stage undefeated.

The weekend’s fixtures concluded the ten rounds of league fixtures and also confirmed the four teams that will contest the semi-finals.

The Down Touch Griffons lost 27-21 against the SWD Eagles, but the bonus point they collected in George proved crucial and secured them second spot on the log behind runaway leaders Leopards.

The Valke slipped from second to fourth on the final league standings as a result of their home defeat to the Leopards, despite the home team bagging two bonus points for their close effort.

So, after a thrilling period of 10 league matches, the first-placed Leopards will host the Valke (fourth) in the one semi-final while SWD (third) will travel to the Griffons (second) for the other semi-final. SARU will confirm the kick-of times early in the week.

Border Bulldogs finally secured their first win of the season with an enthralling 44-20 triumph over the Boland Cavaliers in East London.

Click on the score links below to access the match centre.

Hino Valke (12) 29 Leopards (22) 36

The Leopards scored a maximum of 50 log points from their 10 games after they secured a close fought victory over the Valke at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park on Friday afternoon. The Valke needed a victory over the undefeated Leopards to give themselves a chance of securing a home semi-final spot, but they faltered, despite having a one-man advantage twice during the game.

The Leopards secured their 10th bonus point on the stroke of halftime when scrumhalf Malherbe Swart darted around the fringes of a scrum to score. The home team never gave up and tries by Carlyle Hendricks, Andrew van Wyk, Riaan Arends, Reg Muller and Shane Kirkwood, plus conversions by Anrich Richter, Juan Kotze kept them in touching distance throughout the match.

The log leaders scored six tries through Tyler Fisher (2), Francois Robertse, Rhyno Smith, Swart and Adrian Vermeulen. Meel Engelbrecht (2) and Schalk Hugo added three conversions to clinch the tie.

Scorers

Hino Valke – Tries: Carlyle Hendricks, Andrew van Wyk, Riaan Arends, Reg Muller, Shane Kirkwood; Conversions: Anrich Richter, Juan Kotze.

Leopards – Tries: Tyler Fisher (2), Francois Robertse, Rhyno Smith, Malherbe Swart, Adrian Vermeulen; Conversions: Meel Engelbrecht (2), Schalk Hugo.

SWD Eagles (15) 27 Down Touch Griffons (15) 21

Despite going down in this away fixture, the Down Touch Griffons secured a home semi-final by courtesy of a losing bonus point at Outeniqua Park in George on Friday evening.

The home side had replacement hooker Karl Haupt to thank for his brace of tries in the second half, after coming on for Marius Fourie. The match referee showed no less than four cards, of which three were in a fiery first half. Despite the three yellow cards, the teams still finished the first half 15-all.

Haupt made an immediate impact when he scored his first within minutes after coming on. With Griffons fullback, Wynand Pienaar, in the sin-bin visitors succumbed to the pressure which allowed to Haupt crash over for the winning try on the sound of the hooter.

Scorers

SWD Eagles – Tries: Kurt Haupt (2), Schalk Oelofse, Zandre Jordaan; Conversions: Leighton Eksteen (2); Penalty: Eksteen.

Down Touch Griffons – Tries: Coenie van Wyk, Vuyo Mbotho; Conversion: Nico Scheepers; Penalties: Scheepers (2); Drop-Goal: Van Wyk.

Border Bulldogs (18) 44 Boland Cavaliers (17) 20

After coming close on numerous occasions this season, Border finally clinched a win when the defeated Boland at the Buffalo City Stadium on Friday night. The Bulldogs did so in style in front of a very passionate crowd, scoring six tries to two.

Border took the lead through a Logan Basson penalty in the third minute, and just moments later a Boland flank Chaney Willemse ran 40 meters for his try after an easy intercept which flyhalf Warren Seals converted. Each of the sides eventually scored two tries, while Basson (two penalties and a conversion) and Seals (a penalty and two conversions) succeeded with the boot.

The young Bulldogs side scored four well-worked tries in the second half to the absolute delight of their loyal supporters.

Scorers:

Border Bulldogs – Tries: Oliver Zono (2), Michael Makase, Lundi Ralarala (2), Makazole Mapimpi. Penalties: Logan Basson (2); Conversion: Basson (2), Zono (2).

Boland Cavaliers: Tries: Chaney Willemse, Eric Zana; Penalties: Warren Seals (2); Conversions: Seals (2).

The final Absa Currie Cup First Division log after ten rounds:

TEAM	PLAYED	WON	LOST	DREW	POINTS FOR	POINTS AGAINST	POINTS DIFFERENCE	TRIES FOR	TRIES AGAINST	LOSS BONUS	TRIES BONUS	POINTS
Leopards	10	10	0	0	431	205	226	62	26	0	10	50
Down Touch Griffons	10	5	5	0	329	306	23	46	43	2	6	28
SWD Eagles	10	5	4	1	269	240	29	33	31	3	2	27
Hino Valke	10	5	5	0	306	278	28	45	37	2	4	26
Boland	10	2	7	1	203	435	-232	27	61	1	2	13
Border	10	2	8	0	211	285	-74	23	38	3	1	12