The DotSure SWD Eagles were crowned Carling Currie Cup First Division champions on a frosty Friday evening in George when they delivered a dominant second half performance to beat the Valke 41-21, after they led by 19-14 at the break.
The hosts outscored the visitors from the East Rand by six tries to three in an entertaining final staged at Outeniqua Park.
The game was evenly balanced by the halfway mark, with the Eagles leading by only five points. However, the second half belonged entirely to the hosts as they dominated the forward battle, showed impressive defensive resolve, and displayed clinical finishing to round off a number of scoring opportunities.
The Eagles’ deserved victory brought smiles and joy to the rugby supporters of the Garden Route after their side had earlier missed out on qualifying for the Premier Division.
The opening ten minutes delivered a huge arm wrestle as neither side were able to dominate. The match then burst into life with the two sides scoring four tries between them inside the half hour mark, before the Valke managed to add a second on the stroke of halftime.
The East Randers certainly had their opportunities in an entertaining first half, however they proceeded to lose two crucial lineouts, which prevented them from converting pressure into points, while a final pass also went awry when clinical handling was required.
SWD were happy to soak up the pressure, but they took their scoring chances well when they ventured inside the opposing goal area. The Eagles also showed strong defence when they kept a rampant Valke pack at bay for long periods of time.
Inside centre Neil Beukes finished off a long passage of play and enabled the Eagles to draw first blood when he scored the opening try. Flyhalf Divan du Toit succeeded with the conversion from the touchline to make the score 7-0 in favour of the home side.
Hooker Janus Venter scored their second via a menacing rolling maul. Within five minutes and two tries on the sheet, the SWD were suddenly in control at 12-0 inside the opening quarter.
But the Valke fought back when fullback Hlomla Payi was on hand to take the pass out wide after their maul had sucked in all the defenders. The easy conversion by Sergio Stalmeester made the score 12-7 in favour of the home side.
Barely two minutes later, SWD scrumhalf Xavier Swartbooi burst through at the back of the lineout to score a third try for the Eagles, with Du Toit adding his second conversion to take the lead out to 19-7.
Zeilinga Strydom, big outside centre of the Valke, finally broke through SWD’s defensive wall to score under the posts to reduce the halftime deficit to 19-14 and all to play for in the second half.
With the Valke determined to claw their way back, fullback Ulrich Wahl scored SWD’s fourth try, and Du Toit added the conversion and slotted a long-range penalty to take the score to 29-14 with just over 20 minutes remaining on the clock.
A fifth SWD try, by left wing Runé Lucas from a Wahl grubber to score in the corner, stretched the hosts’ lead to 34-14 and with just over a quarter of the game remaining, they were in full control.
The Eagles had momentum and their forwards laid the platform for another surge at the line, and when the ball was sent to the backs, Swartbooi fed Du Toit to score a try next to the poles which he converted himself to all but secure them the victory at 41-14.
Replacement outside back Tylor Sefoor took advantage of quick penalty tap to run in under the posts for the Valke’s third converted try of the evening. Although that score brought them back to a 20-point deficit at 41-21, it was all but over for the East Randers, who finished runners up for a second successive season.
However, it meant a deserving piece of silverware for the Eagles, who continue with their resurgence under former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
Scorers:
DotSure SWD Eagles 41 (19) – Tries: Niel Beukes, Janus Venter, Xavier Swartbooi, Ulrich Wahl, Runé Lucas, Divan du Toit. Conversions: Du Toit (4). Penalty goal: Du Toit.
Valke 21 (14) – Tries: Hlomla Payi, Zeilinga Strydom, Tylor Sefoor. Conversions: Sergio Stalmeester (2), Sefoor.
