Eagles end Leopards' run

2008-09-06 18:55

George - The only unbeaten run in the Currie Cup came to an end when the Eagles pipped the Leopards 35-34 at Outeniqua Park in George on Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles were fortunate to pull this one through in a see-saw battle as the Leopards' goal-kickers missed seven attempts at goal. They scored five tries to four, but paid a heavy penalty for their early misses.

Clayton Durand missed his first shot at goal within a minute. It fell short of the upright and he missed a second opportunity two minutes later. He missed a third sitter within five minutes, all of which the Leopards would regret later.

Ambrose Barends, playing in his 50th game, made no mistake in the eighth minute to put the Eagles in the lead.

The Leopards changed kickers in the 11th minute but Anvor Schooney shanked the kick.

Then both Durand and Theo van Wyk kicked straight into touch as the Leopards seemed intent on kicking every ball high on the Eagles back three.

The Eagles wanted to play rugby and Tertius Carse dived over the ruck to increase the Eagles' lead. Barends curled the ball in to increase the lead to 10-0.

Durand's luck completely deserted him when he missed his fourth kick at goal. What could have been 15-10 stayed at zero for the visitors.

Barends increased the lead to two scores when he kicked his second penalty.

Jan van Zyl scored his 15th try of the season after a brilliant break through the middle by Vuyo Zangqa, but Schooney once again missed.

Van Zyl scored his 16th on the stroke of half-time after a quick tap-penalty near the Eagles' line. Again Schooney missed.

But at half-time it was game on with the score on 13-10.

A minute after the break, Valentine van Wyk scored wide-out as the Eagles started with new vigor. Barends converted from the touch-line.

Deon van Rensburg scored his try within three minutes when he took a short pass from his forwards. Durand converted from close to the touch-line - his first successful kick of the afternoon.

The Leopards took the lead for the first time after 54 minutes when Rudi Mathee showed his class, bursting through the middle with pace and power.

The minute Michael Bondesio took the field he had an immediate impact on the game when he broke from inside his 22 to send the flying Vuyo Zangqa away on a 60 metre run while he was shadowed by the big frame of Mathee.

The Leopards edged ahead 34-20, but the game took another twist when Allister Kettledas sprinted 60 yards to score the corner and Christo van Niekerk received a yellow seven minutes from full-time.

Barends reduced the lead to six points with a penalty and the Eagles drove over in the last seconds for Barends to kick the winning conversion.

- SAPA