Eastern Province made a good start but couldn’t last the pace as the Valke won their match 29-23 in Gqeberha.
Eastern Province opened the new SA Cup season with promise but were ultimately reeled in by a composed Valke outfit to lose 23–29 in their opening round meeting in Gqeberha on Friday.
EP struck immediately when scrumhalf Sachin Toring sniped over inside the opening minute, with Garth April (flyhalf) converting for a 7–0 lead. However, Valke wing Ezrick Alexander hit back five minutes later. The conversion was wide, but the hosts suffered a blow as centre Christiaan Potgieter was binned moments later, although April added a successful penalty goal for to make it 10–5 for EP.
Valke wing Adrian Joubert finished smartly on 15 minutes, and playmaker Sergio Stalmeester added the extras as they went 12-10 into the lead. The half turned again when Valke hooker Pierre Rabie saw yellow on the half‑hour mark and EP captain Laken Gray powered over from close range, which April converted for a half‑time lead of 17–12, but not before Valke also lost Alexander to the bin before the break in a frenetic closing spell.
With their maul getting stronger, Rabie atoned with a try in the 48th minute, and Stalmeester’s conversion gave the visitors a 19-17 edge, but EP were determined and April added a second penalty goal to restore EP’s lead at 20–19.
Valke fullback Mbembe Payi answered with a penalty goal of his own as the visitors regained the lead at 22-20 as the teams entered the final quarter.
EP’s cause was hampered when Gray was shown yellow 10 minutes before the end, and the Valke ruthlessly cashed in when replacement outside back Musa Tshabalala finished a sweeping movement four minutes from time, with Payi converting for a decisive nine‑point buffer.
Replacement Maxwell Klaasen landed a late penalty goal to salvage a losing bonus point for EP, but the Valke closed out a composed away win 23–29.
Scorers:
- Eastern Province 23 (17) – Tries: Sachin Toring, Laken Gray. Conversions: Garth April (2). Penalty goals: April (2), Maxwell Klaasen.
- Valke 29 (12) – Tries: Ezrick Alexander, Pierre Rabie, Musa Tshabalala, Adrian Joubert. Conversions: Sergio Stalmeester (2), Mbembe Payi. Penalty goal: Payi.
