One more game left

The ABSA Currie Cup 1st Division reached it penultimate round last Friday as the top of the log Pumas hosted the forth placed SWD Eagles in Nelspruit and the second placed EP Kings played the third placed Leopards at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

 The Pumas was first up against the Eagles in a 6 try to 3 victory at the Mbombela Stadium. Despite losing to the Pumas it was however the Eagles that scored the first try after just 5 minutes. After the Pumas and Eagles exchaged penalties to bring the score to 10 - 3 in favour of the Eagles, the Pumas scored two converted tries and one penalty with the Eagles adding one penalty before the half time break. 

At the start of the second half the Pumas had a slender 4 point lead as the Eagles were trailing 16 - 20. The Eagles started the second half pretty much the same as the first half with a converted try after just 5 minutes. The Pumas added a penalty to bring the score back to level terms on 23 all, but it wasn't long before the Eagles took the lead yet again through a converted try. The Pumas answered with a converted try of their own before the Eagles took another penalty kick and a three point lead with 20 minutes to go. 

Former Eastern Province player RW Kember added his name to the score card as the Pumas started to take control of the game as play went into the last quarter. The Pumas scored two more converted tries and a penalty to bring the final score to 52 - 33. The Pumas have been exceptional the entire 1st Division campaign, going through unbeaten and by finishing top of the log will have an opportunity to play a promotion / relegation match against the bottom of the log finisher in the Premier Division.

Scorers:

Pumas - Tries: Christo Le Roux, Coenie van Wyk, Corne Steenkamp, Renaldo Bothma, RW Kember, Stefan Watermeyer.

Conversions: Carl Bezuidenhout (6)

Penalties: Carl Bezuidenhout (5)

SWD Eagles - Tries: Alshaun Bock, Anver Venter, Clinton Wagman

Conversions: Justin van Staden (3)

Penalties: Justin van Staden (4)

The match in Port Elizabeth went beyond the regular stopage time when the game ended 22 all after the 80 minutes. Both teams scored 2 converted tries, but it was the boot of Scott van Breda that decided the out come the match as he kicked a vital penatly in extra time.

The teams exchanged penalties throughout the first half but it was the Leopards that scored the first try just on half time to take a 16 - 9 lead into the half time break. The Kings leveled the score 15 minutes into the second half through a van Breda penalty. The Leopards drew level in the 74th minute as time was running out and the game was still anyones for the taking. With three minutes to go Scott van Breda took the lead yet again through a penalty kick, but with time up on the clock the Leopards were given a penalty and wasnt going to miss from right infront. Scores were level at 22 all as the hooter went off in the back ground. 

The Kings kicked a penalty and scored a converted try as the Griquas could only manage a try at the end of the extra 20 minutes. Griquas missed a penalty kick during the first 10 minutes of extra time which could have level the scores, but it wasnt meant to be as the game ended 32 - 29 in favour of the Kings.

Scorers:

EP Kings - Tries: Kayle van Zyl, Tim Agaba

Conversions: Scott van Breda (2)

Penalties: Scott van Breda (6)

Leopards - Tries: Edmar Marais, Tiaan Dorfling

Conversions: Adriaan Engelbreght (2)

Penalties: Adriaan Engelbreght (5)

In many ways it is a repeat of last years 1st Division, as the Kings went through the season unbeaten, only drawing to the Pumas during their round robin matches. Last year the Pumas traveled to Port Elizabeth to face the Kings, this year the Kings need to travel to Nelspruit.

This weekend matches sees the EP Kings u19 taking on the Valke in the ABSA Under 19 Final in Kempton Park, the EP Kings u21 hosting Boland in the ABSA Under 21 Final and the EP Kings travel to Nelspruit to face the Pumas in the ABSA Currie 1st Division Final.