EP down Bulldogs to claim derby bragging rights
Hat-trick hero Rodney Damons helped the EP Elephants stampede over Border Bulldogs to claim Eastern Cape derby honours and a bonus point in their 41-15 win in the SA Cup at Police Park in East London on Friday afternoon.
The defeat for Border means that they are on a seven-game losing streak in the campaign, while for EP, it elevated their points tally in the table to 17 points, just three points behind the Valke, who occupy sixth place.
After a week's break, Border coach Dumisani Mhani would have hoped his boys were rejuvenated and would put up a fight in the game, his first against his former employers.
They partially did in the set pieces in the first half, but again, discipline in defence was their Achilles heel.
Deon Plaatjies scored the first try for EP in the opening 10 minutes. Maxwell Klassen then responded with three points from a penalty kick.
Fleet-footed winger Damons then added to EP's tally with a converted try.
The Bulldogs stayed resilient on the brink of halftime but allowed Diego Williams to sneak in for EP's third try of the afternoon, for them to take a 17-3 lead into halftime.
Wayne Ngubane continued where EP had left off in the second stanza with a converted try.
Winger Sakhe Dingile opened the Bulldogs' try account, but Damons quickly erased the smiles of the Border faithful in the stands as he dotted down his for his brace.
A few minutes he completed his hat-trick.
Hlumelo Zitha scored Border's second try of the day, while Williams scored a second.
The Bulldogs' next game is against the Cheetahs at the Free State Stadium next Saturday, while EP will welcome the Griffons at Nelson Mandela Stadium.
Daily Dispatch
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
14 hours ago
- The Citizen
WATCH: Pumas to take over Graskop
WATCH: Pumas to take over Graskop The pink pride of Mbombela will be hosting a fun-filled rugby clinic at Graskop Laerskool on June 25. The action will kick off at 8:00. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: From 11:00 they we'll be moving on to the stunning Graskop Gorge Lift Co and the Pumas invite all their supporters to come along! ALSO READ: Intensity wins: Pumas conquer Griquas in Mbombela Meet your favourite Pumas players, snap a selfie… and don't miss the thrill as they take on the legendary Big Swing. ALSO READ: IN PHOTOS: Wave of pink supporters spur the Airlink Pumas on to victory in SA Cup final At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Bok Women only thinking of Stade Makis job in Madagascar as World Cup appoaches
Springbok Women's centre Aphiwe Ngwevu playing for Border during the 2019 Women's Interprovincial A League Final against Western Province. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix Springbok Women's centre Aphiwe Ngwevu is among the most experienced players in the squad doing duty in Antananarivo. | BackpagePix The cities of Northampton and York may be oceans apart from Antananarivo, but for the Springbok Women, their arrival in Madagascar's capital for the Rugby Africa Women's Cup is all part of the journey to destination Rugby World Cup in England in August and September. For the coaching staff, it is all about consistency – not only on the field, but off it as well – in order to do justice to the well-planned structure of their 2025 season, something Springbok Women assistant coach Bafana Nhleko said is very important. 'We are building a spine, so consistency is key to our performance and theme,' Nhleko said soon after the team touched down in Madagascar. South Africa kick off their campaign against Uganda on Saturday and Nhleko and fellow coach Franzel September arrived on the back of a solid week of preparation by the squad in Johannesburg. The most experienced of those 28 players is Aphiwe Ngwevu, who has played in 24 Tests, including last year's Rugby Africa Women's Cup, where the Springbok Women qualified for the Rugby World Cup as continental champions. Ngwevu's role will be instrumental to the consistency the coaches are looking for, and for the Border Ladies player, it is something she is looking forward to. 'This tournament is important to me and to the team,' said Ngwevu.'I must prove myself in my position and make sure I play my role as a centre, cross the advantage line and provide forward momentum for our attack.' The Bok Women's midfielder has had to overcome setbacks before and her inclusion into the 2022 Rugby World Cup squad came with huge personal challenges, so she does not mind doing it all over again: 'This trip will not be easy, but we will do our best and bring our physical game as always.' Ngewvu delivered a powerful performance in the team's last Test, against Spain in Bonalba, and was named Player of the Match after impressive work on attack and defence. She had a 100 percent completion rate on defence and her 12 ball carries gained 110 metres, with six defenders beaten, but she is looking ahead rather than living in the past: 'I can only give my best and leave nothing out there. The rest is not in my control.' Springbok Women Rugby Africa Women's Cup fixtures (SA times, all matches at Stade Makis, Antananarivo): June 7: Uganda (12pm) June 11: Kenya (12pm) June 15: Madagascar (2pm)
The Herald
2 days ago
- The Herald
Mthatha athlete part of Comrades elite field
When thousands of runners line up for the Comrades Marathon in front of the Pietermaritzburg City Hall on Sunday morning, one of the elite runners at the front of the queue will be Eastern Cape-born athlete Musa Zweni. Zweni, 34, runs for Pan African Resources Club and is coached by John Hamlet, who has coached several of the illustrious championship-winning ultra marathon runners. He has been in the Comrades Marathon training camp in Dullstroom, Mpumalanga, preparing for 2025's race. Zweni said he joined the camp in 2025, and the plan for the upcoming race was about adjusting to the training approach of his new club. 'We have got a three-year plan that we are working on with my coach,' Zweni said. 'We will just tick off this year and see other years. 'But in my head, there is something else. But the coach said before I could get there, we need to get some things right,' Zweni said, adding he did not run the Two Oceans Marathon to prepare for the Comrades. Born in Tabase, Mthatha, Zweni's best Comrades time, which he ran in 2023 in the colours of Boxer Superstores Athletic Club, was 5 hrs 58 min 47 sec, which earned him the Wally Hayward medal. An injury cost him running his first comrades in 2018, but his time in the race has improved tremendously from his 2019 debut where he finished in position 2,831 in 08:56:57, earning himself a Bill Rowan medal, followed by a much-improved performance finishing in 73rd spot, earning his first silver medal in 2022 after running his race in 06:30:58. Zweni's first dream was to play professional football, but that was ended after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at a tournament in 2012 in Soweto, where he was preparing for trials with a PSL club. That forced surgery, with doctors saying he would never be able to run again. His running career started in 2017 in Cape Town and he has since attracted sponsorships from top global sport brands such as Puma, Maurten Gel and Future Life. 'After that injury, I started experiencing life in the sense that I started drinking, at that time I did not even have a girlfriend because my life was about football and nothing else. 'I started experimenting with a lot of things because I felt like I had given up so much for that moment. Everything happened so fast,' he said. Several injuries linked to his ACL injury forced Zweni to hang up his football boots at the age of 26. While the transition to elite running was not smooth sailing, Zweni's competitive streak kicked in when his friend, Siyabonga Madala, introduced him to running. He finished his first 10km run in 47 minutes, ran his first half marathon in 1:36:00, and his first Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in 4:00:00 from the F seeding. — WATCH: We are the Champions
