The EP Kings played a very close game against the Griffons in Welkom – with the Griffons leading by 5 points at half time (16-11) EP were made to work hard to eventually come out 2 point winners at the final whistle (21-19).
The Regent Boland Cavaliers ran rings around the Falcons at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park (55-28) and collected one more bonus point to move one log point closer to the EP Kings, who still lead the pack by one point.
These results, coupled with the Border Bulldogs upsetting the SWD Eagles on Friday, means the scramble for the third and fourth places on the log intensified, but the Kings and the Cavaliers are still comfortably ahead at the top of the standings.
In Kempton Park, Boland stepped on the gas in the second half as they scored 34 points. It was their seventh win this season and they ran in seven tries against the Valke, who answered with four. It was only the second time this season the Cavaliers conceded a try-scoring bonus point.
While the Cavaliers were amassing the points on the East Rand, the EP Kings were made to sweat in Welkom as the Tasol Solar Griffons produced one of their best performances of the season.
And in East London, flyhalf Ntabeni Dukisa contributed 16 points as the Border Bulldogs beat the SWD Eagles by 19-16 – their first victory over the team from George since 2008.
Dukisa scored a try, which he also converted, as well as three penalty goals to set up Border’s second victory of the season.
Only four log points separate the bottom four teams in the Absa Currie Cup First Division, although the Eagles and Valke each have a game in hand. Any of these four teams can still make it into the semi-finals.
First Division Weekend Games:
Border Bulldogs 19 (16) SWD Eagles 16 (9)
- Border Bulldogs – Try: Ntabeni Dukisa. Conversion: Dukisa. Penalties: Dukisa (3). Drop-goal: Dale Sabbagh.
- SWD Eagles – Try: Martin Ferreira. Conversion: Elric van Vuuren. Penalties: Van Vuuren (3).
Valke 28 (14) Regent Boland Cavaliers 55 (21)
- Valke – Tries: Warren Perkins, Juan Kotze, Anrich Richter, Chris-Erich Ehlers. Conversions: Kotze (4).
- Regent Boland Cavaliers – Tries: Danwel Demas, Cornal Hendricks (2), Willie le Roux (2), Alwyn Bester, Ligtoring Landman. Conversions: Elgar Watts (4). Penalties: Watts (4).
Tasol Solar Griffons 19 (16) EP Kings 21 (11)
- Tasol Solar Griffons – Try: Willie Britz. Conversion: Tiaan van Wyk. Penalties: Van Wyk (3). Drop goal: Van Wyk.
- EP Kings – Tries: Marcello Sampson, Joe Breytenbach. Conversion: Louis Strydom. Penalties: Strydom (3).
Absa Currie Cup First Division Log:
- Pos. Team – P – W – D – L – PF – PA – PD – TF – TA – BPts – Pts
- Eastern Province Kings – 8 – 8 – 0 – 0 – 348 – 177 – 171 – 48 – 21 – 5 – 37
- Regent Boland Cavaliers – 8 – 7 – 0 – 1 – 371 – 148 – 223 – 49 – 19 – 8 – 36
- SWD Eagles – 7 – 3 – 0 – 4 – 202 – 251 – -49 – 24 – 31 – 3 – 15
- Tasol Solar Griffons – 8 – 1 – 0 – 7 – 220 – 314 – -94 – 27 – 43 – 8 – 12
- Valke – 7 – 2 – 0 – 5 – 189 – 282 – -93 – 28 – 36 – 3 – 11
- Border Bulldogs – 8 – 2 – 0 – 6 – 200 – 358 – -158 – 23 – 49 – 3 – 11
The standings in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Log:
- Pos. Team – P – W – D – L – PF – PA – PD – TF – TA – BPts – Pts
- MTN Golden Lions – 9 – 8 – 0 – 1 – 315 – 203 – 112 – 36 – 20 – 5 – 37
- DHL Western Province – 9 – 6 – 1 – 2 – 291 – 186 – 105 – 30 – 16 – 6 – 32
- The Sharks – 9 – 7 – 0 – 2 – 258 – 212 – 46 – 23 – 18 – 3 – 31
- Toyota Free State Cheetahs – 9 – 4 – 1 – 4 – 328 – 205 – 123 – 38 – 19 – 7 – 25
- GWK Griquas – 9 – 4 – 1 – 4 – 255 – 294 – -39 – 29 – 39 – 5 – 23
- Vodacom Blue Bulls – 9 – 4 – 1 – 4 – 220 – 249 – -29 – 23 – 24 – 2 – 20
- Ford Pumas – 9 – 0 – 0 – 9 – 178 – 308 – -130 – 19 – 36 – 5 – 5
- Platinum Leopards – 9 – 1 – 0 – 8 – 163 – 351 – -188 – 20 – 46 – 1 – 5
