Round two of the Covid Challenge Cup delivered a sensational spectacle between Border Super League heavyweights Police and Young Leopards living up to expectations with the Bobbies collecting a 54-30 Pool A victory at Grens Hoërskoel on Saturday.
Both sides came into the match brimming with confidence having won their matches in the opening round of the competition.
However, Police proved to be the stronger side as they controlled the tempo of the game throughout and scored seven tries.
“It was a hard-fought match up in the front, it was a tight contest,” Police assistant coach Denzel van Heerden said.
“What worked for us is that we dominated the scrums and lineouts. That gave us the edge because we were able to get front-foot ball and the gain-line advantage.
“Hence we managed to score the seven tries we did,” he said.
The sides went into the halftime interval with Police leading 14-0.
The Bobbies flexed their muscles in the second stanza as they scored five tries.
However, the Leopards hit back to score two late tries close to the hooter.
“We played six of our junior players who train with our squad towards the end of the game and they managed to score two tries,” Van Heerden said.
The win ensured the Bobbies go on top of Pool A with nine points.
Police’s next match is against Young Africans at Grens B on Saturday (2pm).
“We will quickly shift our focus to Young Africans. We have not played them this season because they play in a lower league [Border Premier League] than us,” Van Heerden said.
“It will not be easy going to the match because we do not know much about them and the style they play. However, we will prepare for a hard match against them.”
The other blockbuster match between Swallows and Buffalo Rugby Club fulfilled its prospect of being a big Pool B game.
Mdantsane side Swallows soared high, scoring six tries to beat Buffs by 42-27 and cement their spot as table toppers.
Reflecting on the loss, Buffs head coach Daniel Steyn said: “We started out the blocks very slowly and by the time we made a comeback it was too late.”
In Pool A’s other match, Fort Hare registered their first win of the campaign, defeating Young Africans 24-15, while in Pool B, Walter Sisulu University All Blacks beat Winter Rose 28-16.
The only match in the U21 competition on Saturday saw Buffs juniors demolish WSU U21s 60-0.
The Buffs juniors ran riot, scoring 10 tries.
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