The South Western Districts Eagles soared majestically at an exceptionally hot Buffalo City Stadium in East London on Friday with a 40-26 triumph over a keen but outplayed Border Bulldogs side who were playing their final home Vodacom Cup match of the season.
Bad handling with resultant knock-ons, coupled with poor tackling and umpteen defensive errors, stopped Border from ever looking like winning this game.
The halftime score was 14-26 to the visitors.
Interestingly, a feature of the game was that not one penalty kick for posts was undertaken by both sides.
SWD centre Alshaun Bock scored four tries and on three occasions simply waltzed through the Border defence, without a finger laid on him.
Border fullback Siphosenkosi Nofemele was one of the few home players to shine. He attacked well and managed to score Border’s first try with an excellent break and run from about 40 metres out early in the first half.
Reserve scrumhalf Bangihlombe Kobese, who replaced regular scrumhalf Mario Noordman five minutes before halftime, also had a good match for Border with his strategic kicking and he succeeded with two out of three conversions.
Border remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the South section of the log with only one win out of six matches played.
It was all too easy for the Eagles and Border need to go back to the drawing board, desperately tighten up on their defences, build up the fitness of the players, get a reliable kicker and just maybe they will be a force during the upcoming Currie Cup season.
They’ve had their good days, but too many bad ones. For Border it’s really been a case of the good, the bad and the rugby.
SCORERS:
Border 26: Siphosenkosi Nofemele, Makazole Mapimpi, Thembani Mkokeli. Michael Makase. Conversions: Mario Noordman, Bangihlombe Kobese (2).
South Western Districts Eagles 40: Tries: Lyndon Hartnick, Alshaun Bock (4), Alwyn Bester . Conversions: Karlo Aspeling (5).
