The Valke, Leopards and Eastern Province were on the winning side in the opening round of the Carling Currie Cup First Division which took place on Saturday.
Eastern Province came out tops by 36-31 in their derby clash with the Phangela SWD Eagles played at the Madibaz Stadium, where the hosts had a 26-12 advantage at halftime. Both sides managed to score five tries, but EP’s kickers had a better day with the boot, with Jayden Bantom landing a crucial drop-goal.
Hooker Deon Plaatjies went over for two maul tries for EP, while Oliver Zono (flyhalf) slotted four conversions. Marlo Weich (fullback) and Roshwin Abrahams (replacement outside back) each scored and try and conversion.
The EP Elephants kicked off their 2025 Currie Cup First Division campaign with a hard-fought 36-31 bonus-point victory over the SWD Eagles on Saturday, June 14, at Madibaz Stadium in Gqeberha. Despite a clinical first half where they scored four tries, the Elephants faced a dramatic second-half comeback from the Eagles, holding on through a resilient defensive effort to claim the five points and start the season on a positive note.
The Elephants dominated early, capitalizing on opportunities with precision. The team’s set-piece and exit strategies were on point, showcasing the attacking flair that defined their SA Cup campaign. However, the second half saw a stark turnaround. The Eagles mounted a comeback that narrowed the gap to 36-31 at the final whistle. The Elephants’ errors – poor kick-off handling, ineffective exits, and soft penalties – allowed SWD to capitalize, especially after captain Stefan Willemse left the field with a bruised rib.
Coach Allister Coetzee reflected on the mixed performance. “It’s good to start the campaign with a bonus-point victory. The first half was really clinical; we did the basics well and took our opportunities, scoring four tries. But the second half was the opposite and their comeback stemmed from our mistakes. We were inaccurate, made silly errors, couldn’t exit properly, and got bogged down in our half. At 56 minutes, we were 36-12 up, but that was our last score. Conceding penalties and turnovers hurt us, compounded by the captain’s injury, which sent the guys into panic mode.”
Despite the challenges, Coetzee praised the team’s grit. “Fortunately, they hung in under the Eagles’ pressure and closed it out. The defensive effort at the end was pleasing, but we’ve got work to do—too many chances created and not finished. We dominated but coughed up opportunities, making it tough in the end.”
Injuries pose a significant concern, with lock Willemse sidelined by a bruised rib and fellow lock Hannes Huisamen likely out with a fractured finger. “It’s challenging, especially with the locks,” Coetzee added. “We need to see how we replace them to the best of our ability this week.”
The Elephants face the NovaVit Griffons next on June 21 in Welkom, with plans to reintegrate players and address injuries in the week ahead.
Eastern Province 36 (26), Phangela SWD Eagles 31 (12)
Eastern Province – Tries: Deon Plaatjies (2), Johannes Huisamen, Rodney Damons, Jayden Bantom. Conversions: Oliver Zono (4). Drop goal: Bantom.
Eagles – Tries: Stephan Leonard, JP Duvenage, Marlo Weich, Roshwin Abrahams, Clive Kruger. Conversions: Weich, Abrahams, Marco Fuhri.
The East Randers raced into a 22-7 lead at the break, but then had to withstand a spirited second half fightback from the NovaVit Griffons to win their opening Carling Currie Cup First Division clash by 36-26 in Welkom.
The men from North-West kicked off their campaign with a comprehensive 47-20 victory over Border in Potchefstroom, while EP defeated their western neighbours, the Phangela SWD Eagles, by 36-31 in Gqeberha.
Playing in Welkom, the Valke eventually outscored their Northern Free State hosts by five tries to four to secure an important away win. Right wing Ezrick Alexander went over for two tries, while Keagan Fortune (flyhalf) scored one try, four conversions and a penalty goal for a personal contribution of 16 points for the team in the scarlet red jerseys.
The Griffons came storming back with two tries late in the game, but the Valke showed nerves of steel to successfully repel the fightback for a big away win.
In Potchefstroom, the Leopards led 21-13 at the halfway stage on their way to outscoring the Bulldogs by seven tries to two. Scrumhalf Chadd Adams scored two of the seven tries, while Shaun Baxter succeeded with six conversions. Border flyhalf Maxwell Klaasen succeeded with two conversions and two penalty goals.
In next week’s round two fixtures, Border host the Eagles at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London on Friday evening; the Griffons entertain EP in Welkom on Saturday, while Valke are home to Leopards at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park.
Scorers:
Leopards 47 (21), Border 20 (13)
Leopards – Tries: Chadd Adams (2), Armin Posthumus, Lwandile Mapuko, Jason Alexander, Brandon Keevy, Hanro Potgieter. Conversions: Shaun Baxter (6).
Border – Tries: Kamvelihle Fatyela, Soso Xakalashe. Conversions: Maxwell Klaasen (2). Penalty goals: Klaasen (2).
NovaVit Griffons 26 (7), Valke 36 (22)
Griffons – Tries: Duan Pretorius, Simon Westraadt, Kyle Cyster, Willem van den Hever. Conversions: Andrew Kota (3).
Valke – Tries: Ezrick Alexander (2), Kayden Kiewit, Keagan Fortune, Wernich Aucamp. Conversions: Fortune (4). Penalty goal: Fortune.
