Unforced errors costly for EP in Currie Cup opener, says Coetzee

Unforced errors were costly for the misfiring Elephants when they stumbled to a 49-28 defeat against the Valke in a Currie Cup First Division clash in Kempton Park on Saturday, EP coach Allister Coetzee said.

After ending in a disappointing seventh spot in the 10-team SA Cup earlier in the season, EP arrived at the Barnard Stadium determined to kick off their First Division campaign on a high note against a combative Valke outfit.

However, an error-prone EP side were left trailing 21-0 after only 18 minutes against a Valke outfit who came out with guns blazing on home turf.

EP’s try scorers were Christian Potgieter, Buhle Nojekwa, Siya Nzuzo and CJ Velleman. Flyhalf Garth April booted three conversions and Maxwell Klaasen one.

“This was not a good performance at all,” Coetzee said.

“I was extremely disappointed in the number of unforced errors and mistakes that we made.

“It is so disheartening, and I can see the players also share that feeling.

“It has a snowball effect because everyone in the team gets a chance to make mistakes.

“They are unforced errors, so I am deeply disappointed in the performance.

“At one stage we had to fight back from 21-0 down to 21-14, and then there were soft moments in the game and we let the Valke in.

EP Elephants coach Allister Coetzee (The Herald)

“There were also two yellow cards, and it was like a repeat of the SA Cup competition.”

After a poor opening display, Coetzee said changes are on the cards for EP’s match against the Border Bulldogs in KuGompo City on Saturday.

“I will have to look at making a couple of changes this week even if they are not injury-enforced,” he said.

“We will have to give other players an opportunity to shine.

“It was our first game, and the only positive is that we earned a bonus point in Kempton Park.

“The errors were so costly, and it was just basics.

“You work hard to get penalties, and then you do not kick it out. There were those kinds of mistakes.

“Eventually you have to play catch-up rugby at altitude, and that is not easy.

“EP let in a lot of soft tries against the Valke.

“There are four more games left in the competition, and now we will look ahead to the Border game and put this one behind us.

“So we will take it game by game and see where we finish.

“I am not despondent, but I will be hard on the players leading up to the Border game.”

The First Division, a second-tier event below the Currie Cup Premier Division, is more of a sprint than a marathon, with only a single round of five matches to determine which teams qualify for the semifinals.

After Saturday’s setback, EP need to go on a winning spree if they want to qualify for the semifinals.

By a twist of fate, EP also kicked off their SA Cup campaign against the Valke earlier in 2026.

The Valke emerged 29-23 winners in that clash, and it proved to be a defeat that set the tone for the rest of EP’s indifferent season.

Other results: Border Bulldogs 19 Griffons 52; Leopards 38 SWD Eagles 44.

Saturday’s fixtures: SWD Eagles vs Valke, Border Bulldogs vs EP Elephants, Griffons vs Leopards.