Attention to detail at scrum time will be crucial for the Multisure EP Elephants if they want to topple log-leaders Western Province at Newlands on Saturday, EP captain Lubabalo “Giant” Mtyanda said.
Though his team romped to a big 52-3 win over the Border Bulldogs at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele on Sunday, Mtyanda says there is room for improvement in the EP scrum.
Saturday’s SuperSport Rugby Challenge clash will be played as a curtain-raiser to the Stormers versus Highlanders Super Rugby clash.
WP have been in supreme form this season and are top of the South Section log and unbeaten after four rounds of the competition.
“It was a great win we had over Border,” Mtyanda said.
“We needed to ramp up our defence and we worked hard on that in preparation for the game. The team also worked on their line speed on defence.
“We knew the opposition would make mistakes that we could counter-attack from.
“That tactic worked well for us and we worked hard on our one-one tackles and leg drives after executing the tackle.
“We capitalised on Border’s mistakes.”
Mtyanda said they would focus on scrum work ahead of the trip to Cape Town.
“There are still small things in the scrum that we need to work on.
“They are binding and angles and things that can change the outcome of a game.
“Now our plan is take our confidence into the WP game.”
Disappointed Border Bulldogs coach Tiger Mangweni slammed his players for a lack of commitment.
“I was not at all happy with our performance or in our previous game against the Boland Cavaliers,” Mangweni said.
“The Bulldogs are not executing when we have ball and the commitment is not there.
“Now the Bulldogs will have to dig deep and find out what the cause is.”
Next for the Bulldogs is a tough clash against the Sharks.
“Our remaining games are all away so we have a very tough schedule.
“We learnt a big lesson against the Elephants.
“But we will come out fighting against the Sharks and I cannot surrender now.
“The Bulldogs have to fix everything and see how we can improve against the Sharks,” Mangweni said.