Despite registering a thumping 52-15 win over the SWD Eagles, EP's hopes of reaching the SA Rugby U21 Shield semifinals went up in smoke on Saturday.
After consecutive defeats against Boland and Border in their previous two outings, EP's hopes of making the semifinals had been hanging by the thinnest of threads ahead of the kickoff in Plettenberg Bay.
EP knew they had to trounce the SWD Eagles by a big margin and hope that Border did not earn a bonus point against Boland in Saturday’s final round of league matches.
Though they were beaten 32-28 by Boland in Wellington, Border picked up the bonus point they needed to reach the playoffs.
Thanks to their win, Boland ended top of the log with a handsome haul of 26 points from six matches.
Boland will now face Bolkand in the South Section semifinal in Wellington on Saturday.
Three defeats in five outings had left EP in a precarious position with only one round of league matches left to play on Saturday.
Border put themselves in pole position to claim a semifinal berth when they beat arch-rivals EP 34-24 in Klipfontein two weeks ago.
At the start of the season, EP’s prospects of reaching back-to-back Shield finals appeared promising after they named a strong squad of players.
EP went on the attack from kickoff against the Eagles in a last-ditch bid to reach the semifinals.
They were rewarded for their efforts by scoring eight tries at the Bitou Rugby Club.
EP's try scorers were Simphiwe Dlamini (2), Shaun Swanepoel (2), Dewald Gerber, Keano Botha, Godwin Fillis and Schalk Cannon.
Flyhalf Rishaad Conrad booted six conversions to complete EP's tally.
Final South Section log (all teams played six matches): Boland 26, Border 20, EP18, SWD 6.
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