Elephants players must take more accountability, says Coetzee

EP’s players must be held to more accountability after they crashed to a 52–19 defeat against the Cheetahs in an SA Cup clash played in Bloemfontein on Saturday, frustrated Elephants coach Allister Coetzee said.

A porous EP defence leaked eight tries against an adventurous Cheetahs side who dominated during a frenetic second half at Shimla Park.

EP, who have lost all four of their opening matches, have a welcome break before they return to action against the Leopards in Potchefstroom on April 11.

“I have to make sure I keep the team in a good space, but I will be really hard on them,” Coetzee said.

“There is a break coming this weekend, so I will get stuck into the players,” Coetzee said.

“They need to be held to more accountability for effort penalties that are being committed, like being offside, not rolling away and simple stupid penalties.

“They will have to take accountability because we really had a good plan for the Cheetahs.

“The tries the Cheetahs scored were off our mistakes.

“We put ourselves into such good positions on the field, and then we butchered the opportunities.

“There is a nice break coming up, and I will really go hard on the players about that.

“There is no lack of effort, but one has to ask why we are not taking our opportunities.

“We had the Cheetahs in the first 25 to 30 minutes, and then we let them in by turning the ball over and making poor decisions.

“I also found that we are rushing when we don’t need to, and we must show more composure with the ball in hand.

“We are rushing things and making stupid decisions as if there were no rugby IQ.

“These are all learning, and I have to keep my chin up and continue working at this.

“Wing Mpho Ntsane had a good game after being out for two weeks, and he scored two tries.

“The young fullback Jaydon Bantom was much better, so there is a lot of improvement among the young players.

“The scrums went better against the Cheetahs, but I felt we were ineffective with our mauling.

“We could have at least done better with that.

“EP will reset during the break, and in the second part of the season we will have to be much better in the next few games.”

The Pumas wrapped the weekend’s action when they defeated the Falcons 42-36 in their Sunday afternoon clash in Nelspruit.

The weekend’s results mean Griquas remain in pole position on 20 points, three clear of SWD and the Pumas (both on 17 points), while Boland fell to fourth on 15 points.

The leading quartet are followed by the Cheetahs on 12 points, Griffons (10), Falcons (seven), Leopards (six), EP (two) and Border (0 points).

Griquas, winners of the competition in 2024, were in complete control from the outset in their clash against the Griffons, running in 11 tries to one for a 71-7 win in Kimberley to secure their fourth consecutive win.

Griquas were rampant in the first half, applying relentless pressure through direct carries and clinical finishing. By the break, they had already surged into a dominant 31–0 lead, with tries from Tiaan Lange, Dylan Maart, and a double from Connor Mahoney setting the tone.