Bulldogs fight back in Boland game
THE Boland Cavaliers gained a measure of revenge for their loss to the Border Bulldogs earlier in the season by claiming a hard-fought 21-20 victory (halftime 21-5) in their SuperSport Rugby Challenge match played in Ceres on Saturday.
It was speedy Cavaliers winger Sergio Torrens who scored the first try of the match, with fullback Divan Nel adding the extras.
Nel also slotted a penalty to give his side a 10-0 lead after the first quarter, before he added two penalties and a try to give his team a healthy tally of 21 points on the scoreboard.
The former University of Johannesburg flyhalf was the leading penalty scorer leading up to the match and his three penalties will most likely see him keep his position.
Border did not trouble the scorers much as a solitary try was the sum of their first half effort, and at 21-5 they were staring down the barrel of a big defeat.
After the break the Border team showed some true Bulldog grit and fought back.
After 60 minutes the score was 21-20 and both teams had an opportunity to clinch the victory.
Despite both teams throwing the proverbial kitchen sink at each other neither team could land the decisive blow.
After referee Vusi Msibi blew the fulltime whistle it was the home team who would be the victors, and they keep their outside chance of qualification alive as they narrowed the gap on the Bulldogs on the South Section Log.
Boland will be proud of their defensive effort in the second half, but will be worried as they had the visitors on the ropes.
Border will quickly want to regroup as they host the high-flying Western Province team at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Kings William’s Town on Sunday before ending their campaign with matches against the SWD Eagles and Eastern Province Kings.
to Sergio Torrens, Divan Nel; Conversion: Nel; Nel (3)
Sinovuyo Nyoka, Yanga Xakalashe, Oliver Zono; Conversion: Zono; Penalty: Zono.