Boland Cavaliers give Border Bulldogs 51-24 hiding

AN under-cooked Border Bulldogs were licking their wounds after crashing to a 51-24 defeat against the Boland Cavaliers at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele yesterday.

There were several reasons why they were not able to show their usual bite in front of a big crowd.

Having not trained in two weeks because of recent troubles at the union, the Bulldogs were always going to face an uphill battle against the Cavaliers in a SuperSport Rugby Challenge clash.

Border managed to fit in only two training sessions before the game, and coach Tiger Mangweni said this would count heavily against them.

Boland, however, had an extensive preseason training programme which helped them make a flying start to their challenge for honours.

Two club players were included in the Bulldogs squad, which managed to retain some of their regulars from last season.

Mangweni, despite the odds against his side, had urged them to go out and make the most of the first rugby festival of the season.

Thanks to two first-half tries and an enterprising start, Border held a deserved 17-8 lead at the break against the favourites. However, the Bulldogs ran out of steam in the second half as the Cavaliers ran rampant.

The Cavaliers were quickly into their stride and made their early pressure count when flyhalf Elgar Watts kicked a penalty in the second minute.

The Cavaliers were not afraid to give the ball air, and they were rewarded for their efforts when right wing Charles Mayeza squeezed in at the corner after 14 minutes.

Border were missing tackles in midfield and this kept the Cavaliers camped in the Bulldogs’ half during the opening exchanges.

Good work in the lineouts by Bulldogs lock Johannes Janse van Rensburg thwarted Boland as they looked to build on their opening try.

The Bulldogs, against the run of play, had their first points on the board after 19 minutes when scrumhalf Bangihlombe Kobese nailed a long-range penalty.

This spurred the Bulldogs on, and six minutes before the break loose forward Lukhanyo Nomzanga powered his way over the tryline to level matters at 8-8 after 35 minutes.

Border were now dominating up front and No 8 Athenkosi Mamentsa was over for his team’s second try in the 39th minute. Boland were quick out of the starting blocks in the second half, and No 8 Zandre Jordaan sliced his way through the Border defence to reduce the deficit to 17-15.

In a see-saw encounter, Sergio Torrens went over on the corner after 57 minutes.

But the Bulldogs refused to lie down and the hard-working Mamentsa left the Boland defence for dead with his second try of the afternoon.

With Kobese succeeding with the conversion, Border enjoyed a narrow 24-20 lead with 20 minutes left.

The try fest continued in the 67th minute when Boland speedster Charles Mayeza went over in the corner to restore his team’s lead.

Replacement Kenan Cronje put the result beyond doubt with a 76thminute try as the Bulldogs started to run out of gas.

To celebrate the first of the SuperSport triple-header festivals, both teams were introduced to SA Rugby president Mark Alexander before kickoff.

The scorers: Boland Cavaliers 51: Tries: Charles Mayeza (3), Zandre Jordaan, Sergio Torrens (2), Kenan Cronje. Edwin Sass. Conversions: Elgar Watts (4). Penalty: Elgar Watts. Border Bulldogs 24: Tries: Lukhanyo Nomzanga, Athenkosi Mamentsa (2). Conversions: Bangihlombe Kobese (3). Penalty: Bangihlombe Kobese.