The SWD Absa Eagles defeated the Border Bulldogs 35-20 in a Vodacom Cup game played at Outeniqua Park on Saturday.
The half-time score was 18 -8 in favour of the home team.
The Eagles earned a valuable bonus point with their four tries scored.
The game was typical of a first game of the season and both teams were guilty of poor handling. The Bulldogs will have a lot of homework to do and it will be back to the blackboard to sort out their handling problems.
The home team’s new flyhalf, Danie de Beer, could win many a game for them with the boot. Opposition teams cannot afford to make mistakes within goal reach. He combined well with the backline and this will satisfy the purist who wants to see running rugby.
However, the forwards will have to improve on Saturday’s performance if they want to take on the stronger Currie Cup teams in the season ahead.
The Bulldogs must be worried about the number of tries that were squandered with bad passing and handling. They had the Eagles at sixes and sevens, but the final pass was often knocked on with an open tryline begging. Stefan Brits and Delarey du Preez showed their class and the Border Bulldogs could use their experience well in the games ahead. — Sapa