MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

SWD put the nail in the coffin

By

The EP kings now only have to play for tattered pride going into the dying stages of the 2014 Vodacom Cup.

A rather dismal 5 game record of 1 won, 4 lost, 116 points for, 133 points against and only 7 points to secure 5th place on the Southern log paints a depressing picture for our rugger buggers from the Eastern Province.

Combining the points from both the Northen and Southern sections paints an even more depressing picture as our paltry 7 points would put us at 12th place out of 16 teams.

Contrast the performance of the EP Kings against our nemesis for the past three years – the Steval Pumas – and I run the risk of sinking into the deepest darkest holes of depression I can find, as the Pumas are cleaning up in the Northern Section with 5 wins and 22 points, 230 points for and 47 points against.

On Friday 4 April SWD’s Karlo Aspeling kicked a match-winning drop goal two minutes from time as the SWD Eagles squeaked past the EP Kings 23-21 (halftime 6-9) in their Vodacom Cup South Section match at Outeniqua Park in George.

The Eagles had found themselves trailing by 21 points to six after 59 minutes of the match, but they clawed their way back into the contest thanks to converted tries from left wing Alshaun Bock and replacement hooker Wayne Khan before flyhalf Aspeling nailed the vital drop-goal as SWD claimed the narrowest of victories.

The win kept SWD in the hunt for a playoff place as they moved into second place on the log although the two teams immediately below them, the Free Stave XV and Western Province, both have a game in hand.

The match was played on a heavy field that had been subjected to rain in the two days leading up to the game and the first half reflected the conditions with the Kings taking a narrow three-point lead at halftime thanks to three penalties from fullback Masixole Banda with SWD replying with two penalties from Aspeling.

The second half was a far more thrilling affair and the visitors must have felt confident of victory as No 8 Ivan-John Du Preez crashed over for a converted try four minutes after the restart before flyhalf Ntabeni Dukisa scooted over for an unconverted try 15 minutes later.

However, SWD threw everything they had into attack and it was only stout defence from the visitors that kept the Kings in front before Bock broke the match wide open with his 69th-minute try.

Khan rumbled over with four minutes remaining before Aspeling sealed the win with his last-gasp heroics.

Scorers:

  • SWD Eagles – Tries: Alshaun Bock, Wayne Khan; Conversions: Karlo Aspeling (2); Penalties: Aspeling (2), Drop goal: Aspeling.
  • EP Kings – Tries: Ivan-John Du Preez, Ntabeni Dukisa; Conversion: Masixole Banda; Penalties: Banda (3).

The Eastern Province Kings meet the Boland Cavaliers at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 12 April 2014 @ 19h10.

South Section logs after Round 5:

  1. Free State XV: 21
  2. Western Province: 19
  3. SWD: 16
  4. EP Kings: 7
  5. Tusker Simba XV: 7
  6. Boland Cavaliers: 5
  7. Border: 4
The following two tabs change content below.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy LinkedIn profileMy Flickr profileMy Pinterest profile

Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.