/ 3 September 2005

Mighty Elephants work hard for victory

The Eastern Province (EP) Mighty Elephants gained a hard-earned 17-9 win over the Border Bulldogs in their Absa Currie Cup first-division rugby match played at the EP Rugby Union headquarters on Friday night after leading 14-0 at half-time.

The match never really got off the ground, with both sides making far too many basic mistakes.

The highlight of the first half was the tries scored by the EP centres, Basil de Doncker and Sam Willard. Scrumhalf Chris Jonck succeeded with both conversions.

The second half was a rather messy affair. A fight broke out among the forwards late in the second half and this led to four players receiving yellow cards. They were EP replacement hooker Dean Hopp and flank Wayne van Heerden and Border’s Zolani Mofu and Michael Coetzee.

Border were the more spirited side in the second stanza and managed three penalties by scrumhalf Dru Nass, while EP replied with a penalty by Jonck.

De Doncker and captain Drikus Hancke were named joint winners of the man-of-the-match award.

A feature of EP’s play was their stout defence, with Border failing to cross for a single try. — Sapa