The SWD Eagles notched up a second consecutive victory in the Absa Currie Cup First Division when they beat the Falcons 47-22 (half-time 25-8) on the Falcons’ home turf at Kempton Park’s Barnard Stadium on Saturday.
This follows the team’s 20-13 win over the Griffons at Outeniqua Park in George, and stands in stark contrast to the Falcon’s 53-45 victory when last they met the Eagles onthe 24th of September 2011.
“We started off well,” said Eagles team manager, Martin de Vos. “We dominated possession, and scored three tries in the first half, going into the break with a 25-8 lead.
“A lack of concentration early in the second half allowed the Falcons to come back at us, but we kept our cool, and finished the match the way we started it, running in three more tries.
“We ended up with six tries – two of which were scored by [centre] Stokkies Hanekom, who stood out as the man of the match.
“No doubt about it!”
Top scorer in the match, full-back Elric van Vuuren, posted 22 points via a try, three penalties, and four conversions.
Mr. de Vos said that hooker Hans van Dyk came off the field with concussion, and has been ruled out of the game against the Border Bulldogs in East London on the 17th – a game for which the SWD Eagles are already preparing.
“First thing Monday morning we’ll go over the videos, and identify where we went wrong this weekend, and then we’ll start working on rectifying our mistakes.
“We’re under no illusions: Border are going to come out with all guns blazing, and they’re going to want the win as much as we do.
“They are always hard to crack in East London, but if we can beat our performance against the Falcons, we are definitely in with a chance,” he said.
NEWS FLASH: George’s Outeniqua Park – the home of the SWD Eagles – will host two under-18 rugby internationals tomorrow (Tuesday 14 August) when England meet France, and South Africa meet Wales, at 15h00 and 17h00 respectively.
The games form part of the South African Rugby Union’s Under-18 Programme – which includes friendlies in the Boland, South Western Districts, and Western Province regions, and which will also include legacy initiatives in which the teams are given time to participate in coaching clinics at various schools across the Western Cape.
Ticket prices have been kept as low as possible in an attempt to encourage young people to attend the games.
Final score
Absa Currie Cup First Division, Barnard Stadium (KemptonPark),11 August 2012: SWD Eagles 47– Griffons 22 (half time: 25 – 8)
Falcons
Tries: Hendrik Meyer, Hannes Ludik, Juan Kotze
Conversions: Juan Kotze (2)
Penalty: Karlo Aspeling
SWD Eagles
Tries: Johan Herbst, Elric van Vuuren, Nico Hanekom (2), Alshaun Bock, Dumisane Meslane
Conversions: Elric van Vuuren (4)
Penalties: Elric van Vuuren (3)
Follow the SWD Eagles on their web site: www.swdeagles.co.za on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SWDEaglesRugby and on Twitter: @SWDEagles or www.twitter.com/swdeagles.
