THE SWD Eagles claimed first position at the conclusion of the league phase of the Absa Currie Cup First Division following their 25-8 victory over the Eastern Province Kings in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
The Eagles consigned the second-placed Kings to their first home defeat of the season after they notched up their eighth win of the 2010 competition. The visitors scored two tries which were secured by Baldwin McBean and Dougie Hellmuth.
Ambrose Barends, the leading scorer with 115 points in the competition, kicked three penalties and a drop goal for the Eagles. Jandre Bloem also added one penalty kick.
The Kings only managed to score one try which was dotted down by Paul Perez. Flyhalf Monty Dumond slotted one penalty.
The Eagles will take on the Leopards in the Currie Cup promotion/ relegation games scheduled for later this month, and Eastern Province will play the Pumas.
The Eagles will also host the Griffons in Friday’s Currie Cup First Division semifinal. In Friday’s other semi-final, the Kings are at home at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium for their clash against the Boland Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers secured their fifth win of the competition and ended the in third position following their 40-25 victory over the Griffons in Wellington at the weekend.
Willie le Roux scored a brace of tries while Zandre Jordaan, Brendon April, Cornal Hendricks and Alex Kock all added five-pointers for the hosts at Boland Stadium. Jacquin Jansen kicked five conversions.
The Griffons, who ended the league phase in fourth position, achieved a bonus point for scoring four tries which were added by Windpomp van Rooyen, Werner Griesel, Shane Hancke and Eddie Fredericks. Jannie Myburgh kicked one conversion while Tiaan van Wyk slotted a penalty.
In the other Currie Cup First Division game of the weekend the Border Bulldogs consigned the Valke to their ninth defeat of the season following their 56-49 victory in Kempton Park.
The loss for the Valke saw them ending the competition at the bottom of the log with 11 points.
The hosts ran in seven tries thanks to the efforts of Coert Cronjé, who scored a hat-trick, Kyle Hendricks, who added a brace, Jaco Snyman and Martin Thomsen, who also converted five tries. Japie Naudé converted two five-pointers.
The Border Bulldogs scored seven tries and also boasted a hat-trick from Howard Noble. Logan Basson (two), Bongani Mntunjani and Chumani Booi were the other Bulldogs try scorers.
Results and Scorers:
SWD Eagles beat EP Kings 25-8
SWD Eagles: Tries: Baldwin McBean, Dougie Hellmuth. Penalties: Jandré Blom, Ambrose Barends (3). Drop goal: Barends.
EP Kings : Try: Paul Perez. Penalty: Monty Dumond.
Boland Cavaliers beat Griffons 40-25
Boland Cavaliers: Tries: Willie le Roux (2), Zandre Jordaan, Brendon April, Cornal Hendricks, Alex Kock. Conversions: Jacquin Jansen (5).
Griffons: Tries: Windpomp van Rooyen, Werner Griesel, Shane Hancke, Eddie Fredericks. Conversion: Jannie Myburgh. Penalty: Tiaan van Wyk.
Border Bulldogs beat Valke 56-49
Border Bulldogs: Tries: Howard Noble (3), Logan Basson (2), Bongani Mntunjani, Chumani Booi. Conversions: Basson (6). Penalties: Basson (3).
Valke: Tries: Coert Cronj̩ (3), Jaco Snyman, Martin Thomsen, Kyle Hendricks (2). Conversions: Thomsen (5), Japie Naud̩ (2). РNampa-Sapa
