Cavaliers draw their way to a trophy

MATCH REPORT: The Boland Cavaliers successfully defended their First Division title in a tense Final against a determined Eastern Province.

The game went into extra time, with the hosts declared winners although the scores were tied 27-all.

The title was awarded to the Cavaliers because they scored more tries in the Final.

The scores were tied 20-all at the end of 80 minutes, and it was still a stalemate 20 minutes later, but because Boland scored five tries to EP's four in the final, it meant they remain the champions and finished the season unbeaten.

Credit to Eastern Province though, they never gave up and it was only some dogged defence by the hosts at the end that secured them the title.

The conditions were very bad - it was wet and windy and the field was very muddy - and that meant both teams made a lot of errors, while the pressure of playing in a final and some tired legs at the end also forced mistakes.

The Cavaliers scored three unconverted tries in the first half and followed that up by one more late in the second half, after EP had fought back to take a 17-15 lead.

With time up on the clock and the hosts leading by three, EP had a kickable penalty which Jayden Banton successfully steered through the uprights to push the game into extra time.

Boland scored early in extra time, with Ashlon Davids landing his first kick of the game to make it 27-20, but EP were not done and drew level again.

The Cavaliers knew the rules though and that they would be deemed champions if the scores were tied, and they hung on to seal the deal.

It was a special day for Boland coach Hawies Fourie too, after he won the Premier Division with the Cheetahs last year, and followed that up with the First Division title on Saturday.

Scorers:

Boland Cavaliers

Tries: Rautenbach 2, Van der Westhuizen, Engelbrecht, Booysen

Con: Davids

Eastern Province

Tries: Boltina, Mbiko 2, Ngubane

Cons: Bantom 2

Pen: Banton

Teams

Boland Cavaliers: 15 Domenic Smit, 14 Duren Hoffman, 13 Xavier Mitchell, 12 Erik Lambrecht, 11 Cornell Engelbrecht, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Peter-John Smit, 6 Sauliegh Arendse, 5 Marlyn Williams, 4 Michael Benadie, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Neil Rautenbach, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.

Replacements: 16 Emile Booysen, 17 Gerrit Bester, 18 Doctor Booysen, 19 Ameer Hendricks, 20 Gift Dlamini, 21 Taine-Randell Booysen, 22 Bentley Geldenhuys, 23 Darian Hock.

Eastern Province: 15 Jayden Bantom, 14 Sporo Damons, 13 Sherwin Slater, 12 Troy Delport, 11 Jay-Dee Jooste, 10 Mbembe Xolela Payi, 9 Shirwin Cupido, 8 Athenkosi Manentsa, 7 Gerrit Huisamen, 6 Laken Gray, 5 Lungi Mbiko, 4 Stefan Willemse (captain), 3 Duncan du Buisson, 2 Tembekile Boltina, 1 Siya Nzuzo.

Replacements: 16 Deon Plaatjies , 17 Zukisa Denzel Sali, 18 Andile Ngonyama, 19 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Ayabonga Nomboyo, 21 Wayne Ngubane, 22 Darryle Kameel, 23 Davian Swanepoel.

Referee: Paul Mente

TMO: Egon Seconds