There will be an added layer of tension simmering below the surface when the EP Elephants and Border Bulldogs collide in a seventh round SA Cup clash in East London on Friday.
The showdown pits Bulldogs coach Dumisani Mhani against his former team and he will be determined to emerge with regional derby bragging rights in what promises to be a fiery duel (kickoff 4pm).
Border want home ground at the Police Park to give them an edge in a contest EP are favoured to win.
New EP coach Allister “Toetie” Coetzee will also have a point to prove after his team crashed to a heavy 70-17 defeat against Griquas in the previous outing.
While EP have managed to register two wins, Border are winless and rooted to the bottom of the 10-team league.
Mhani’s team have struggled to make any headway this season, leaking 411 points in a season punctuated by a series of heavy defeats.
After their trip to Police Park, EP complete their season with testing matches against the Griffons (May 3) and Boland Cavaliers (May 10) in Gqeberha.
EP are seventh on the log and a strong finish to their campaign will boost their prospects of moving up the league table.
So far, EP have managed to clinch wins over the SWD Eagles and Leopards and a win over Border would be a big boost for Coetzee’s side.
After they were thrashed by a rampant Griquas side in Kimberley, EP have been working hard on the training pitch in a bid to get back on track.
Coetzee said EP must fix their shambolic line-out play if they want to beat the Bulldogs.
After holding a narrow 14-10 halftime lead, Griquas turned on the afterburners and scored 56 points in a one-sided second half at the Suzuki Stadium.
“There is stuff we will work on before the Bulldogs match,” Coetzee said.
“The big problem against Griquas was that we never got the proper ball from our line-outs, and they were in a shambles.
“If you don’t get that kind of possession you cannot fire shots.
“We will take on board the lessons learnt in Kimberley.
“If EP want to play in the Currie Cup Premier Division in future, this is the kind of pressure you will be under.”
After his team’s sixth round 52-3 loss against the Boland Cavaliers, Mhani said: “We competed well, but we couldn’t convert our chances into points, especially in their 22m.
“Border couldn’t finish. We either threw the ball away or dropped it.
“It is these mistakes that are costing us. We have a system, but we have not stuck to it. We gave them the game.
“We need to work hard on that aspect of the game where we have to focus and concentrate in terms of our consistency.”
At the end of the season, the top four teams in the 10-team log will earn qualification to play in the Currie Cup Premier Division.
Thanks to their runaway win, Griquas remained at the top of the log with a full house of 30 points.
Seventh round fixtures:
Log (all teams have played six matches): Griquas 30, Pumas 30, Cheetahs 22, Boland Cavaliers 20, Griffons 20, Falcons 20, EP Elephants 12, SWD Eagles 7, Leopards 4, Border Bulldogs 2.
Seventh round fixtures:
Friday: Border Bulldogs v EP Elephants (Police Park, East London), Pumas v Griquas (Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela).
Saturday: Boland Cavaliers v Leopards (Boland Stadium, Wellington), Griffons v SWD Eagles (Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom), Cheetahs v Falcons (Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein).
The Herald
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