Rugby news from the Home of the Kings:
Agreement reached on Grand Challenge Final:
The Final of the Grand Challenge will now be played at 7pm on the 17 August 2016 at Central Stadium in Uitenhage, after Saru referee Rodney Bonaparte called the showpiece off before it even started over the weekend
Gardens were meant to play Harlequins in an eagerly anticipated final at Wolfson Stadium at 3.30pm last Saturday. The waterlogged, Kwazakhele venue was, however, deemed unfit for play and a decision was taken on Saturday morning to play the match at Kemsley Park.
Bonaparte however deemed the conditions unsafe to continue with the final after a peaceful, celebratory crowd invaded the field when Despatch Oostelike defeated United Barbarians (Easterns) in the Grand Challenge Shield final, which had been played as a curtain raiser to the main match.
SARU Administrator, Monde Tabata, thanked the Presidents and Executives of the Harlequins and Gardens Rugby Clubs for their co-operation and agreeing to play the match on a week day.
“Playing the match on Wednesday will allow the two clubs the opportunity to participate in the qualifier play offs of the Gold Cup 2016, which start on the 20th August,” said Tabata.
The winner of the Grand Challenge will play in the Gold Cup play off against the East London Police, in Port Elizabeth.
“I am pleased that all parties have risen to the occasion by subsuming their own disappointment to save the integrity of all the tournaments in the local and national rugby calendar,” Tabata said.
Tabata further undertook to deal with the reasons that had led to the confusion around the venue and the subsequent pitch invasion, saying processes would be put in place to ensure the union’s operational competence was not found wanting in the future
Boland claim bonus point win over Kings:
Four-try Boland Cavaliers earned a bonus-point victory in easing past the hastily-assembled Eastern Province Kings 28-10 (halftime 7-3) in their Currie Cup Premier Division rugby fixture at NMB Stadium, Port Elizabeth, on Friday.
It was a hard-fought encounter in the initial stages but eventually the maturity of the Boland side swung the match in favour of the visitors.
Following shambolic off-the-field troubles delayed the start to their season, the EP Kings drew on surplus players from other provinces to make up their numbers. Incredibly, they managed to pull together a 22-man side within a week in the build-up to the game.
On the other hand, the Cavaliers were overcoming obstacles of their own after going down 44-¬16 to the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in the opening round last weekend.
The teams spent opening stages of the game feeling each other out. There was much toing and froing with the Kings looking good at times especially in the scrums. Boland ran the ball at every opportunity but the home team’s defence stood firm until ill-discipline would cost them
The Kings suffered blow when Tazz Fuzani was handed a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in the 18th minute. The extra man would make a difference as right wing Sergio Torrens broke the deadlock and scored his first Currie Cup try when he forced his way over thanks to superior numbers for Boland in the 24th minute. Fullback Nico Scheepers converted to make it 7-0.
The EP Kings replied with a penalty by Kobus Marias shortly before halftime.
After the break, Boland No 8 Zandre Jordaan burst through a maul to score his team’s second try of the night which Scheepers converted for Boland to lead 14-3.
A second yellow card, this time for Kings right wing Alcino Isaacs, saw the home team once again reduced to 14 men. Again Boland took advantage as centre Christopher Bosch scored their third try after good driving play by Jordaan with Scheepers adding the extras with the boot.
Flank Kenan Cronje grabbed the bonus point score after 69 minutes and Scheepers was on target again to take the score to 28-3.
The Kings managed a consolation try in the 73rd minute when Johann Tromp stepped in from the touchline to dot down far out. Replacement Lungelo Gosa slotted the tough conversion.
SCORERS
EP Kings – Tries: Johann Tromp; Conversions: Lungelo Gosa; Penalties: Kobus Marias
Boland Cavaliers – Tries: Sergio Torrens, Zandre Jordaan, Christopher Bosch, Kenan Cronje; Conversions: Nico Scheepers (4)
New sponsor for Legends’ Iqhawe Week for Under-15s
