Two tries each from EP Kings wingers Yamkela Ngam and Siyanda Grey carried the EP Kings to a satisfactory 52-10 (halftime 38-5) win over South Western Districts in their Vodacom Cup match at the NMMU Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
Played in front of a smallish crowd on the NMMU B field the Kings ran in seven tries, all succesfully converted by fullback Scott van Breda who also scored a try to claim 22 points. Luke Watson, returning from injury crashed over for a ‘return try’ and EP kings centre Siyabonga ‘Tiger’ Mangweni was also heard to roar as Grey passed the ball to him once over the white line for Tiger to dot down.
Tries from Jeff Taljard and flanker Lucas Floors provided the only consolation for SWD, marking a disappointing display for our EP brothers in Super Rugby.
EP struck in the second minute, as Ngam broke from his 10 metre line to fly over the SWD tryline to get things going for his team. The conversion was duly slotted by Van Breda, but a kickable penalty just a minute later offered the visitors a chance to narrow the gap.
However, Taljard was unable to put the three points on the board, and four minutes later the men from the Eastern Cape punished their opponents as Van Breda scored a converted try to take the score to 14-0.
Grey opened his account as he dotted down under the posts in the 11th minute with a fine run from withing EP’s 25, but SWD were able to hit back as Taljard scored a well-worked try seven minutes later. But any hopes of close contest were dashed, as Grey and Ngam secured their braces before halftime, and an additional penalty from Van Breda in between meant the hosts went into the interval with a 33-point lead.
SWD’s humiliation was complete in the 57th minute, as Mangweni dotted down to raise fifty points for his team.
With victory secure, the Kings’ defence lost concentration, and former Cheetahs flanker Floors scored in the corner with 17 minutes remaining to add a degree of respectability to the score. However, the Kings closed out the encounter well enough, and despite not scoring any further points, had given their fans a convincing victory to savour.
The EP Kings now move level on points with the second-placed Pampas XV in the South Section, albeit with the Argentinians enjoying a game in hand.
SWD, meanwhile, remain on seven points, and were unable to improve on their sixth-place position in the standings.
Scorers:
- EP KINGS – Tries : Yamkela Ngam (2), Siyanda Grey (2), Scott van Breda, Luke Watson, Siyabonga Mangweni; Conversions: Scott van Breda (7); Penalty: Scott van Breda
- SWD – Tries: Jeff Taljard, Lucas Floors
Tiger Mangweni dots down to take EP Kings to 50 points against SWD
