Elephants go down in late swoop by Eagles
THE SWD Eagles swooped late to repel a determined charge by the EP Elephants in a lively SuperSport Rugby Challenge clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
The outcome was in the balance right up until the final minutes, before the Eagles struck at the death with a try from Tyler Fisher and a long-range penalty from Divan Nel to earn a 34-20 win.
Until the Eagles’ strong finish, neither team were able to take a firm grip on the game, with the visitors enjoying a slender 24-20 lead in the final stages.
It is back to the drawing board for EP, who had been bidding to get back on the winning track after slumping to a heavy defeat to Western Province in their opening game.
The Elephants will be disappointed that they did not capitalise on the two yellow cards that reduced the Eagles to 14 men for 20 minutes of the clash.
After failing to win a single game in the competition last season, the Eagles will be delighted to have started this year’s campaign with an elusive victory.
With the Elephants squandering chances with wayward tactical kicking, the Eagles found themselves with a 14-8 lead at the break.
But it was the home team who came out of the starting blocks faster in the second half with tries from hooker Allandre van Rooyen and replacement prop Dewald Barnard.
That pushed EP into a 20-14 lead after 45 minutes as both teams threw everything into attack.
In a fast and furious start to the second half, the Eagles scored a third try when Jacques Vermaak went over after a powerful lineout drive.
The visitors were scenting blood, and they had a fourth try when Fisher brushed aside the EP defence to put the Eagles 24-10 ahead after 60 minutes.
It was the Elephants who drew first blood after six minutes when centre Nkululeko Marwana broke free of the Eagles defence to set up Rowan Gouws for a try.
After 10 minutes, the Eagles were reduced to 14 men when Nicolaas Immelman was yellow-carded by referee Quinton Immelman for dangerous play.
Seeking to use their numerical advantage, the Elephants went on the offensive but were held at bay by determined defensive play by the Eagles.
Their endeavours eventually reaped reward when flyhalf Henrique Olivier nailed a penalty in the 22nd minute to put the Elephants 8-0 ahead.
The Eagles, with scrumhalf Dillin Snell always keen to put his team on the front foot, posed problems for the EP defence.
It was the Eagles who were enjoying territorial advantage as the first half wore on, and they breached the EP defence in the 31st minute when wing Marlo Wiech crashed over the tryline.
Eagles fullback Leighton Eksteen added the extras to reduce EP’s lead to 8-7.
It was Eksteen who provided the best moment of the match when he danced his way through the EP defence to score his team’s second try.
The Elephants have a chance to chalk up a first when they face the Border Bulldogs in East London on May 11.
Scorers:
EP Elephants 20: Tries: Rowan Gouws. Allandre van Rooyen, Dewald Barnard. Conversion: Henrique Olivier. Penalty: Henrique Olivier SWD Eagles 34: Tries: Marlo Wiech, Leighton Eksteen, Jacques Vermaak, Tyler Fisher (2). Conversions: Leighton Eksteen, Divan Nel (2). Penalty: Divan Nel.