The EP Elephants clinched a 26-17 victory over the Leopards in the SA Cup at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday. In doing so they not only secured their first home win of the season but also picked up a bonus point for scoring four tries.
Leading 12-3 at halftime, the Elephants held off a late push from the Leopards to claim the five points, but the performance left Coach Allister Coetzee generally unimpressed.
With their set piece and physicality setting the tone, the Elephants scored tries through flanker CJ Velleman, hooker Deon Plaatjies, fullback Jaden Bantom, and replacement Wayne Ngubane.
While the result marked the Elephants’ second win in five matches and their first at home, Coach Coetzee was candid about the team’s display. “This has probably been our weakest performance to date,” he said. “I’m not sure whether the guys were complacent and thought it was just going to happen for us after last week’s performance against the Cheetahs, but we went out of system and were ill-disciplined with regards to the way we planned to play. On the other hand, playing badly and still getting the five points must go down as mission accomplished. We’ll have to have a good look at ourselves and make sure this performance is not repeated.”
Looking ahead, Coetzee emphasized the need for a quick regrouping as the Elephants prepare to face an in-form Griquas side in Kimberley. “We have a short turnaround against Griquas, and we have to bin this and move on,” he continued. “The attacking intent is still there and pleasing to see, but our physicality and set-piece accuracy will be tested against Griquas. The players will have to pitch up for the next one. It’s good to learn while you win as well, and it’s also pleasing to get a first win at home.”
Despite the win, the team will focus on addressing their discipline and execution as they prepare for a tough road trip. Victory over the Leopards brings their SA Cup tally to two wins from five matches, and they’ll aim to build on this result with a stronger showing against Griquas.
Scorers:
Eastern Province 26 (12), Leopards 17 (3)
EP – Tries: Wayne Ngubane, Johannes Huisamen, Deon Plaatjies, Jayden Bantom. Conversions: Christian Humphries (3).
Leopards – Tries: Bryan Breda, Chris van Heerden. Conversions: Charles Williams (2)
