EP are hurting after another disappointing performance when individual errors and missed tackles allowed the Cheetahs to romp to a 52–19 SA Cup win in Bloemfontein on Saturday, coach Allister Coetzee said.
A fragile EP defence leaked eight tries against an adventurous Cheetahs side who turned up the heat during an eventful second half at Shimla Park.
EP, who have lost all four of their opening matches, have a welcome break before they return to action with a match against the Leopards in Potchefstroom on April 11.
“It was a really disappointing performance again,” Coetzee said.
“This one is hurting because EP had a flippin’ unbelievable plan to get under the Cheetahs’ skin and frustrate them.
“We were right on top of them in the first half, but we could not convert those opportunities into points because of the individual errors and simple mistakes we are making.
“That is what is disappointing and hurting me.
“EP camped in their half, and we had set-piece dominance and our lineout was good, but we could not put them to the sword.
“Unforced errors and penalties were killing us again.
“The worst, for me, were the individual tackles we missed.
“It is very frustrating at this point, but I have to make sure I keep the team in a good space.
“The tries the Cheetahs scored were off our mistakes.
“We also let them off the hook by giving them a simple intercept try.”
Winless EP will welcome the break in fixtures over the Easter weekend as they prepare for what promises to be a challenging second half to their campaign.
Languishing second from bottom on the 10-team log, EP next face a tricky away clash against a Leopards side who will be a tough nut to crack at Olen Park.
EP suffered a cruel blow to their pre-season preparations when four of their contracted props were sidelined by injury.
This resulted in a key warm-up against the Cheetahs being called off, which left EP short of valuable time out in the middle before the season kicked off.
Coetzee has pointed out that a lack of minutes in the legs of the props has played a part in EP’s slow start to the season.
Dynamic Cheetahs winger Cohen Jasper stole the show at Shimla Park on Saturday with a hat-trick of tries which helped to sink EP.
The bonus-point win boosted the Cheetahs’ hopes of ending in the top four and winning promotion to the Currie Cup Premier Division.
The Cheetahs now head into a bye week before shifting focus to another crucial SA Cup encounter against the Griffons in Welkom.
In-form Griquas entrenched their position at the top of the log when they crushed the Griffons 71-7 in Kimberley.
Scorers:
Cheetahs 52: Tries: Cohen Jasper (3), Michael Annies, Carl Wegner (2), Neels Volschenk, Munier Hartzenberg. Conversions: Jaco van der Walt (6).
EP Elephants 19: Tries: Mpho Ntsane (2), Jaydon Bantom. Conversions: Maxwell Klaasen (2).
Other results: Leopards 31 Border Bulldogs 14, SWD Eagles 33 Boland Cavaliers 24, Griquas 71 Griffons 7.
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