Making sure the Elephants fix their wayward discipline at the breakdown will be a priority before they take on a rampant Pumas side at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, EP coach Allister “Toetie” Coetzee said.
EP were their own worst enemy when they were beaten 41-30 by the Falcons in their opening SA Cup match in Kempton Park on Saturday.
This week, Coetzee and his assistants David Maidza (backline) and Trichard van Tonder (forwards) will be working overtime on the training pitch to solve disciplinary indiscretions which marred their performance at the Barnard Stadium.
Coetzee said conceding penalties had put EP on the back foot in a high-scoring clash where fortunes ebbed and flowed.
“It was basically our inaccuracy in terms of the law at breakdown which resulted in three yellow cards,” he said.
“I just think our discipline was not good enough in the second half and that made it difficult for this team to respond.
“The most disappointing thing was law application, and we were ill-disciplined at breakdown time.
“I will look at the clips again at all the decisions where I think we were unlucky at times.
“In all, we played against ourselves because of our poor discipline.
“Our discipline let us down badly in the second half.
“We had three yellow cards early in the second half and that cost us.
“EP allowed the Falcons back into the game and that was the result.
“We had been close to pulling it off and in the last few minutes we were only a few points [behind] and EP were close to getting the lead back.
“But then we conceded penalties from which they scored, which took the second bonus point away
“Three yellow cards in one game is not good enough.
“It would be difficult for any side to win from there, so that is something we have to work on and fix before we play the Pumas.
“It is not getting any easier for EP.
“The Pumas are a top side and although they will be tough, I expect a better performance from us after the learnings against the Falcons.”
The race for the four places in the Currie Cup Premier Division got off to a fast start during the opening round.
Three of the five matches ended in away wins, with only the Boland Cavaliers and Falcons able to gain home victories.
In one of the main clashes of the first round, the Cavaliers got the better of the Cheetahs when the side coached by Hawies Fourie defeated Frans Steyn’s Free Staters 45-29 in Wellington.
This entertaining fixture produced 10 tries and the Bloemfontein visitors played their part by matching the home side’s tally of five tries.
Defending champions Griquas got their campaign off to a flying start by overwhelming the Leopards 64-7 in Potchefstroom in one of four Saturday fixtures.
The Griffons produced a powerful second-half display to defeat hosts Border 55-32 in their clash in East London.
EP are expected to name their side on Thursday.
Saturday’s SA Cup fixtures: Cheetahs vs Leopards (Bloemfontein), SWD Eagles vs Border Bulldogs (George), Griquas vs Falcons (Kimberley), Griffons vs Boland Cavaliers (Welkom), EP Elephants vs Pumas (Gqeberha).
The Herald
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