THE Eastern Province Kings are the 2012 Absa Currie Cup First Division champions after a nail-biting 26-25 victory over the Ford Pumas in the final played in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
THE Eastern Province Kings are the 2012 Absa Currie Cup First Division champions after a nail-biting 26-25 victory over the Ford Pumas in the final played in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The one-point victory margin at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was a fitting conclusion to an enthralling rivalry between the two sides this season, which produced 30-30 and 26-26 stalemates in their round-robin matches.
The Pumas' season is now over, but for the Kings their most important matches are still to come, in the form of a home-and-away promotion-relegation clash against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, who finished last on the Premier Division table. The first of these two matches will be played in Bloemfontein this Friday and the second in Port Elizabeth a week later (26 October).
The Kings' participation in the promotion-relegation series was already assured before the final, after Alan Solomons' men had topped the First Division log at the conclusion of the round-robin matches.
On Saturday the Pumas outscored their opponents four tries to two but were unable to take advantage of a strong first-half performance, while flyhalf George Whitehead's kicking display for the Kings – 11 points courtesy of a conversion and three penalties – ultimately made all the difference.
The hosts were made to endure a nervy last few minutes when Pumas fullback Coenie van Wyk scored a late converted try, but the Kings managed to hold on for the win.
Earlier in the day, the Absa U19 B-division final saw Border Bulldogs beat EP Kings 34-17. The Absa U21 B-division final contested between the Kings and their other franchise partner, the SWD Eagles saw the EP Kings win 24-10.
