Elephants fight back, but Eagles win second encounter

NOT even a rampaging four-try second half stampede could save the EP Elephants from a 47-28 defeat against the SWD Eagles in a SuperSport Rugby Challenge clash at the Rosemore Stadium in George.

After leading 28-0 at the break, the Eagles were always in the driving seat and condemned the struggling Elephants to a sixth consecutive loss.

The win enabled the Eagles to register a double over the Elephants, after they won the first-round game 34-20 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

There were seven tries for the Eagles, who took the game by the scruff of the neck after opening a commanding 21-0 lead after 26 minutes.

There was a lively start to the second half when the Elephants went on the charge and Riaan Arendse went over to score his team’s opening try.

Two minutes later the powerful Tyler Fisher crossed for the Eagles’ fifth try.

The Elephants were showing more enterprise at the start of the second half and were over for a second try when Nkukuleko Marwana crossed the whitewash.

Replacement flyhalf Simon Bolza added the extras to reduce the Eagles’ lead to 35-14. The Elephants were now running amok and a rampaging Zingisa April carved open the Eagles’ defence to allow Mbeko Kota to score a third EP try.

At that stage EP had reduced the deficit to 35-21, and for the first time in the game the Eagles were starting to look vulnerable.

However, the hosts hit back via tries from Johannes Stander and Leighton Eksteen to snuff out hopes of a spectacular EP fightback.

The men in red and black hoops refused to throw in the towel and Quinton Haasbroek scored his team’s fourth try in a high-scoring encounter which kept the crowd entertained.

All the early pressure in this round-six clash came from the Elephants, but the solid Eagles’ defence were able to hold out against the visitors.

After warding off the initial onslaught, the Eagles went on the offensive and were rewarded with a try when Marlou van Niekerk crashed over the tryline after 12 minutes.

Four minutes later, there was another try for the inventive home team when Johannes Steyn rounded off a flowing move.

Thanks to their try-laden victory, the Eagles have kept their playoff hopes alive.

The ambitious men from George are third in the South Section standings with 15 points from five outings.

Runaway South Section log-leaders Western Province made it six wins on the trot when they trounced the Border Bulldogs 52-24 in False Bay.

It was another frustrating afternoon for the Elephants, who have yet to win any of their matches and are bottom of the log.

The Elephants will be desperate to salvage some late pride in their remaining fixtures.

They take on the Border Bulldogs in East London and the Boland Cavaliers in Port Elizabeth.

It has been a tough season for EP, who are fielding mainly club players in a professional league.

Scorers:

SWD Eagles 47: Tries: Marlou van Niekerk, Johannes Steyn, Ruben Schoeman, Alshaun Bock, Tyler Fisher, Johannes Stander, Leighton Eksteen. Conversions: Eksteen (6).

EP Elephants 28: Tries: Riaan Arendse, Nkululeko Marwana, Mbeko Kota, Quinton Haasbroek. Conversions: Ruben de Vos, Simon Bolze (3).