It will be a case of all or nothing for EP’s desperate Elephants when they tackle Border’s Bulldogs at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane tomorrow.
It has been a rough time for the Elephants so far, and six consecutive defeats have left them at the bottom of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge log. But EP coach Ryan Felix has not thrown in the towel and he is demanding one last charge from his men as they bid to move off the foot of the table. Even a win over the Bulldogs, however, will not be enough if the Elephants fail to beat the Boland Cavaliers in their final outing in Port Elizabeth on June 23.
EP’s Elephants have five points after six outings, while the second-from-bottom Bulldogs have 11 points behind their name after seven matches. “I have challenged the players to put in an 80-minute performance against the Bulldogs,” Felix said. This is the fourth festival in the competition after previous all-day events at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele, the Impala Rugby Club in Rustenburg and the Bridgton Sports Ground in Oudtshoorn. When the Elephants faced the Bulldogs in the opening round of the competition, the East London side emerged as narrow 22-17 winners. The runaway leaders in the south section are Western Province, who have already amassed 32 points from seven outings, which leaves them with 13 points above second-placed Boland. The curtain-raiser to the EP game is a key central section clash between the Sharks and Griquas at 1pm.
In the first game of the festival, club teams Black Eagles and Ntlaza Lions clash at 10.30am.
Tomorrow’s teams:
EP Elephants (Nos 1 to 15): Xandre Vos, Mbeko Kota, Luphumlo Mguca, Mncedisi Dlwengu, Wynand Graasman, Brendon Brown, Zingisa April, Siya Mdaka, JP Smith, Ruben De Vos, Siphu Msutwana, Nkululeko Marwana, Siyanda Grey, Riaan Arendse, Michael Botha. Replacements: (Nos 16 to 22): JP Jamieson, Nicolas Roebeck, Dewald Barnard, Anele Lungisa, Lusanda Badiyana, Sonwabo Majola, Simon Bolze.
Border Bulldogs (Nos 15 to 1): Xolela Payi, Siphosenkosi Nofemele, Somila Jho, Somila Mantyoyi, Carlisle Jordaan, Aphiwe Stemele, Sinovuyo Nyoka, Athenkosi Manaentsa, Billy Dutton (c), Nkosikhona Nofuma, Johannes Janse van Rensburg, Hendri Storm, Lwando Mabenge, Mihlali Mpafi, Blake Kyd. (Replacements 16 to 21): Maliviwe Simanga, Siyamthanda Ngande, Athenkosi Khetani, Lubabalo Lento, Bangi Kobese, Mihlali Nchukana, Lonwabo Ntleki.
Referee: Archie Sehlako.
The match will be shown live on SS1 at 3pm.