It will go down in rugby’s record books as the bloody second-half massacre of EP’s Elephants at the Police Rugby Club at Kemsley Park.
Rugby in Port Elizabeth, still battling to recover from a financial crisis, endured another body blow when they were thrashed 75-28 by Western Province.
At half time, with EP enjoying a surprise 21-19 lead, the home crowd thought their team might be in with a chance of pulling off an upset SuperSport Rugby Challenge win.
But hopes of a surprise EP victory were dashed in the second half as the WP machine clicked into gear to score 56 points against a shell-shocked home side.
When referee Paul Mente brought proceedings to a halt, WP had scored 11 scintillating tries against the South Section stragglers. After their plucky first-half display, a lack of a proper preseason took its toll on the Elephants, who ran out of steam in the face of the sustained WP onslaught.
Because of the financial situation at the EP Rugby Union, they have been forced to throw club players into battle against professionals and the gulf in class became more apparent as the game unfolded.
EP president Andre Rademan, who is bidding to get the Elephants back on their feet, had a ringside view of the slaughter from the VIP balcony at the Police Rugby Club.
It was painful viewing for Rademan and EP’s fans as the union’s woes were laid bare for all to see during a fifth consecutive defeat which left the Elephants stranded at the bottom of the South Section log.
It was a second drubbing meted out by WP to the Elephants this season, When the teams met on the opening day of the season at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele, WP scored nine tries on their way to an emphatic 59-12 victory.
After a first-half scare, WP systematically culled the Elephants by unleashing their talented backline.
It was a fifth consecutive win for WP, who must be strong favourites to retain the title they won in style last season.Both teams scored three tries in an entertaining first half, when the Elephants gave the visitors a run for their money.
WP opened the scoring through flank Chris Massyn, but EP grabbed a 14-5 lead after 22 minutes thanks to tries from flyhalf Ruben de Vos and scrumhalf JP Smith. Both were converted by De Vos.
The visitors narrowed the gap to two points with a try by right-wing Grant Hermanus and conversion from flyhalf Joshua Stander.
EP refused to lie down and responded with a try of their own from bustling loose forward Bakkies Brown, who pierced open the WP defence. Point-scorers: EP Elephants 28: Tries: Ruben de Vos, JP Smith, Bakkies Brown, Dewald Barnard. Conversions: Ruben de Vos (4).
Western Province 75: Tries: Chris Massyn, Grant Hermanus, Edwil van der Merwe, Dan du Plessis (2), Luke Stringer, Steph de Witt, Johan du Toit, Tristan Leyds, Chad Solomons, Duncan Saal. Conversions: Josh Stander (6), Tristan Leyds (4).