The EP Kings U21 rugby side came within a whisker of registering their second victory in the Absa U21 Provincial Championship this season before the Leopards scored two tries in the final five minutes to snatch a 24-16 win at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday (September 26).
The EP Kings U21 rugby side came within a whisker of registering their second victory in the Absa U21 Provincial Championship this season before the Leopards scored two tries in the final five minutes to snatch a 24-16 win at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday (September 26).
Despite successive yellow cards in the first half, the Kings led 11-10 at the break and the sides then became involved in a furious battle for supremacy in the second half.
It took 22 minutes before the Kings finally increased their score when an offensive tackle forced a turnover, which saw skipper Kevin Kaba feed speedy fullback Malcolm Jaer, who raced 60 metres for a thrilling try.
However, just three minutes later, the Leopards hit back in emphatic fashion when flyhalf Gene Willemse brushed off some tackles to score near the posts in the 75th minute. The successful conversion by fullback Myburgh Briers gave the Leopards the lead for the first time and they compounded matters for the home side in the final moments when they forced a five-metre scrum.
From that, No 8 Estehan Visagie, as he had done in the first half for their opening try, picked up from the base and powered his way over. Briers again slotted the conversion to make the game safe for Leopards at 24-16 with less than a minute remaining.
Visagie opened the scoring in the first half, but two penalties by Kings flyhalf MC Venter and a try by scrumhalf Sibusiso Ngcokovane after persistent pressure put the home side 11-5 ahead.
Crucially the Leopards narrowed the gap just before halftime when an excellent backline movement saw wing Dean Stokes score a fine try.
The point scorers were:
EP Kings 16: tries by Sibusiso Ngcokovane, Malcolm Jaer; two penalties by MC Venter.
Leopards 24: tries by Estehan Visagie 2, Dean Stokes, Gene Willemse; two penalties by Myburgh Briers.
