Sanlam Boland Kavaliers delivered an emphatic come-from-behind performance in the Carling Black Label Currie Cup season as they fought back from 23 points down to beat the Airlink Pumas 29-26 at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Hawies Fourie and his men have won four from their five league matches, with the only loss coming against the Suzuki Griquas in Round Two in Kimberley. The win sees the Boland move to 21 log points and become the first team to book their spot in the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division playoffs, with two league games still left to play.
Two first-half yellow cards against Khwezi Mafu and James Tedder saw the visitors down to 13 men, providing an ideal opportunity for the Pumas to capitalise and score three converted tries.
The scoreboard was firmly in favour of the home team, 21-3, as the players made their way into the sheds. The only points in the opening stanza came courtesy of a Tedder penalty. But the tide turned in favour of the Pumas as ill-discipline by the Kavas and an over-eagerness to play fast put them on the back foot.
The three tries came via scrumhalf Ross Braude, who scored a brace of tries, and hooker Eddie Swart dove over from a rolling maul for a 21-3 lead. The Kavas lost star playmaker Ashlon Davids to a suspected knee injury early, making way for Juan Mostert.
Swart’s second try, which was also the team's bonus-point try from a lineout maul early in the second half, put more scoreboard pressure on the Kavas. Boland made sure they hit back when Marcqiewn Titus finished off a lovely set-piece move from a scrum to make it 26-8.
A second try on the hour mark after some relentless attacking phases by Boland saw winger Xavier Mitchell’s five-pointer, converter by Tedder, cut the Kavas’ deficit to nine points.
Six minutes later, the Kavas put themselves in losing bonus point territory as Dayan van der Westhuizen crashed over after a powerful lineout maul.
But a bonus point is not what Boland travelled to Mbombela for, as they continued to set up attacking phases.
Pumas' winger Darren Adonis was adjudged to have deliberately knocked the ball forward. The pass from Mostert was intended for either Mitchell or Tedder out on the right wing. Referee Cwengile Jadezweni awarded a penalty try, and Adonis saw yellow for the transgression.
More brave defence, as the Pumas tried stealing the game at the death, saw the Kavas win a turnover penalty and tap-kick the ball before booting it into touch as they secured a famous win.
Sanlam Boland Cavaliers: 15 James Tedder, 14 Marcqiewn Titus, 13 David Brits, 12 Lunathi Nxele, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Sibusiso Sangweni, 6 Khwezi Mafu, 5 Jurie van Vuuren, 4 Michael Benadie, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 HP van Schoor, 1 Wayrin Losper. Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Mthokozisi Gumede, 18 Laurence Victor, 19 Ameer Hendricks, 20 Sauliegh Arendse, 21 Chriswill September, 22 Juan Mostert, 23 Erik Lambrecht.