Win or bust for Elephants in crunch Potch showdown

It will be a ferocious win-or-bust duel for EP’s struggling Elephants when they attempt to snap a disturbing four-game losing streak against the Leopards in an SA Cup clash in Potchefstroom on Saturday.

An error-prone EP side have battled to make headway and are desperate to rescue their season with a much-needed win at Olen Park (kickoff 3pm).

Losses against the Falcons, Pumas, SWD Eagles and Cheetahs in their opening matches have left the Elephants languishing just one place off the bottom of the log.

EP Elephants coach Allister Coetzee (The Herald)

Defeat in Potchefstroom would be a devastating blow to a union which set its sights on ending up among the top four clubs at the start of the season.

EP, with a meagre two points behind their name, are four points behind the Leopards on the 10-team log.

In their last outing before the Easter break, the Leopards recorded their first win of the campaign with a bonus-point 31–14 victory over the Border Bulldogs in Potchefstroom.

At the start of the season, the Leopards would have been one of the teams EP targeted as must-win opponents.

After they crashed to a 52–19 defeat against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, frustrated Elephants coach Allister Coetzee called for more accountability from his players.

I have to make sure I keep the team in a good space, but I will be really hard on them ahead of the Leopards match,
— Elephants coach Allister Coetzee

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

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

“I will get stuck into the players.

“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.

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

“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 learnings, and I have to keep my chin up and continue working at this.

“We will have to be much better in the next few games.”

The Leopards have put in the hard yards during an intensive pre-season with Riaan van Straten now at the helm as full-time head coach.

Van Straten, who brings international experience after a stint coaching in Russia, stepped into the role on an interim basis in 2025 following the departure of Matt Proudfoot, who is now at EP.

“There’s a lot of potential here in Potchefstroom and the North West,” he said.

“Working alongside the NWU Eagles, I firmly believe that if we put the right systems in place and deliver quality coaching, we can make the Leopards competitive again and produce players for the SA rugby system.

“The SA Cup is a very tough competition, and there are no easy games.

“This is a big project, and it’s not going to happen overnight. We have to take it step by step, but this season we need to be more competitive, score more tries, and improve our defence.”

Saturday’s fixtures: Falcons v SWD Eagles, Leopards v EP Elephants, Griffons v Cheetahs, Boland Cavaliers v Griquas, Border Bulldogs v Pumas

Log (all teams have played four matches): Griquas (20), SWD Eagles (17), Pumas (17), Boland Cavaliers (15), Cheetahs (13), Griffons (10), Falcons (7), Leopards (6), EP Elephants (2), Border Bulldogs (0)