Ken Borland

The Eastern Province Kings survived a close call in Wellington on Friday as they beat the Regent Boland Cavaliers 25-20 (half-time 15-7) in their Absa Currie Cup First Division opener on Friday.

It needed the late intervention of fullback SP Marais and the accurate boot of replacement flyhalf Wesley Dunlop, called off the bench in the final quarter, to win the match for the EP Kings, as the Boland Cavaliers dominated the second half.

The Kings’ tactic of keeping Boland pinned in their own territory worked in the first half as they did not have the kicking game to relieve the pressure.

The Cavaliers were nowhere in the first quarter and Kings flyhalf George Whitehead was initially the star of the show as he scored the first 10 points.

His opposite number, Elgar Watts, struggled to kick the ball out and the Cavaliers lineout also seldom went as intended, giving the visitors great attacking platforms. Whitehead kicked a fifth-minute penalty and then, running off first phase, threw an outrageous dummy and strolled through for a try in the 13th minute, which he converted.

Boland finally made their way into Eastern Province territory in the 19th minute and were able to win a lineout, leading to a period of concerted pressure on the Kings’ line. That led to a penalty, which scrumhalf Bolla Conradie took quickly and passed to fullback Jacquin Jansen, who went through a defender on his way to scoring.

Watts converted to close the gap to 7-10, but the home side were unable to produce any other points despite their second-quarter dominance.

The Kings weathered the storm until the 33rd minute when their backs were able to produce a slick breakout, leading to an infringement at the ruck by Boland. The penalty was kicked to touch and loose forward Cornell du Preez then scored from an impressive rolling maul.

Eastern Province deserved their 15-7 half-time lead but they were given an almighty wake-up call in the second half as they produced some lacklustre rugby, with an inventive Cavaliers side only too happy to capitalise.

In the antithesis of modern rugby thinking, Boland ran the second-half kickoff from their own 22 and, with the Kings suddenly shying away from physical confrontation at the collisions, the home side were able to carry the ball through 11 phases before Jansen blazed through the close-in defence for his second try.

The try was the product of wonderful handling and support play by the Cavaliers, and their ball-in-hand approach meant they were smouldering on attack during the second half.

It was never-say-die rugby at its best and loosehead prop Ashton Constant, normally a hooker but shifted to the side of the scrum in an emergency, was a prominent feature in the tight-loose as well as scrumming manfully against experienced New Zealand giant Clint Newland.

Constant did however loose his bind to present Whitehead with a 53rd-minute penalty, but the star of the first quarter became the villain of the piece as he missed that kick and another penalty two minutes later that was practically in front of the poles.

Watts, who had succeeded with both conversions, then put Boland into the lead (17-15) for the first time in the 65th minute with a penalty kick that bounced over off the crossbar.

But with 10 minutes to go, Marais finally stepped up into the game. Boland couldn’t handle his booming kick downfield, turning over possession. Marais then made a break that set up a ruck close to the tryline, and the talented fullback then dived over the ruck to score the match-winning try.

Dunlop calmly slotted the conversion to put the visitors out of penalty reach (22-17), but there were nervous times ahead for the Kings as Boland came roaring back and once again looked dangerous on attack.

But replacement back Tiger Mangweni was on hand to support strong defence and steal the ball, allowing Eastern Province to go tearing back into Boland territory.

The Cavaliers would then go offsides, allowing Dunlop to kick a penalty to stretch the lead to 25-17.

The hooter had already gone when the Kings engaged early at a scrum and Boland were able to run the free-kick into the EP 22, winning a penalty which replacement flyhalf Ricardo Croy kicked to ensure they did not go away empty-handed, gaining a losing bonus point.

SCORERS

Regent Boland Cavaliers – Tries: Jacquin Jansen (2). Conversion: Elgar Watts (2). Penalties: Watts, Ricardo Croy.

Eastern Province Kings – Tries: George Whitehead, Cornell du Preez, SP Marais. Conversions: Whitehead, Wesley Dunlop. Penalties: Whitehead, Dunlop.

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup-first-division/news/120629/EP_Kings_survive_close_call

Lions coach John Mitchell has been suspended with immediate effect due to the complaints of the players, SuperRugby franchise president Kevin de Klerk said on Saturday.

Mitchell, the former coach of the All Blacks and Perth-based SuperRugby team the Western Force, will now face a disciplinary inquiry by the board of the Johannesburg-based franchise.

“John Mitchell has been suspended pending an investigation, after complaints from the players,” De Klerk confirmed to Reuters on Saturday.

“The complaints of the players are quite serious and it’s not just from one or two players, it’s a very substantial number which we cannot take lightly. As the custodians of Gauteng rugby, we are responsible to our staff and the well-being of our players.”

While De Klerk, a former Springbok lock, said he could not elaborate on the complaints due to the sub-judice nature of the investigation, they are believed to revolve around Mitchell’s management style.

The New Zealander has had a simmering relationship with media and sponsors, and local newspapers have reported anonymous players alleging verbal abuse by Mitchell. The 48-year-old has also publicly criticised individual players.

Mitchell joined the Lions in mid-2010 and steered them to the Currie Cup title last year, but their SuperRugby form has been poor with the Lions being South Africa’s worst-performing franchise over the last two years and set to be replaced by the Southern Kings next year.

Assistant coaches Carlos Spencer and Johan Ackermann will now take over the coaching reins as the Lions return to SuperRugby action next weekend.

Fullback Nick Abendanon scored a hat-trick of tries as England ran riot in a 57-31 (half-time 31-10) victory over the SA Northern Barbarians in their tour match at Olen Park on Tuesday.

With Abendanon making over a hundred metres running with ball in hand, and replacement wing Jonny May showing searing pace, England were an attacking threat throughout, although defensive lapses early in the second half allowed the Barbarians back into the game.

May expertly finished two tries in the 63rd and 70th minutes which settled the contest after the Barbarians had scored twice after half-time to close the gap to 24-31.

The 22-year-old May, who only arrived in South Africa last weekend as a replacement for George Lowe, came off the bench in the 26th minute after Ugo Monye injured himself in a tackle which knocked him out and damaged his neck.

Monye went to hospital for a scan, but England management are confident there is no serious damage to his neck.

Abendanon, himself a late call-up to the tour party, scored in the 19th, 32nd and 36th minutes.

Flyhalf Charlie Hodgson, who dominated the territorial battle with his boot but also sparked his backline well, missed just one kick at goals as he added seven conversions and a penalty.

Eighthman Ben Morgan and centre Anthony Allen were the other England players who scored tries, while the tourists were also awarded a penalty try in the last minute.

The Barbarians, drawn from B Division provinces, were thoroughly outplayed except in the third quarter, when scrumhalf Shaun Venter scored twice in three minutes.

Scorers

SA Northern Barbarians – Tries: Joubert Engelbrecht, Shaun Venter (2), Deon Scholtz. Conversions: JC Roos (4). Penalty: Roos.

England – Tries: Nick Abendanon (3), Ben Morgan, Jonny May (2), Anthony Allen, penalty try. Conversions: Charlie Hodgson (7). Penalty: Hodgson.

England captain Chris Robshaw will miss the third and final Test against South Africa on Saturday after he cracked a thumb in the second Test in Johannesburg last weekend, coach Stuart Lancaster confirmed on Monday.

Lancaster said Robshaw took a blow to the thumb in the first Test in Durban and then another blow in the second Test. Scans of the thumb on Monday revealed an undisplaced fracture and the medical advice was that the openside flank should not play in the third Test in Port Elizabeth on Saturday so as to avoid possible surgery.

Hooker Dylan Hartley will take over the captaincy, Lancaster told a news conference in Johannesburg on Monday.

“It’s disappointing to lose our captain and also such an influential player. Last August Chris was not even in the World Cup squad and what he has done since then has just been outstanding. He will now miss just his third game this season which, playing in such an attritional position, is amazing.

“But Dylan has always been part of the leadership group, he’s driven training, he’s the first-choice in his position, respected by the players and captain at Northampton,” Lancaster said.

Robshaw has been a tremendous force at the breakdowns, despite England’s two narrow defeats in the first two Tests, but potential replacements Thomas Waldrom and James Haskell have both produced powerful performances on tour already. Phil Dowson is also expected to return to training this week after a tight hamstring kept him off the replacements’ bench for the second Test.

Lancaster also announced the England team to play a tour match against the SA Northern Barbarians in Potchefstroom on Tuesday, with the most notable selection being that of Lee Dickson at scrumhalf.

The coach said Dickson will use the match to get some crucial game time following the shoulder injury that has forced Test scrumhalf Ben Youngs out of the tour.

Dickson has been on the bench for the first two Tests and will be competing with the experienced, livewire halfback Danny Care for a place in the starting XV for the final Test.

“It’s a useful opportunity for people who need some game time, like Lee Dickson. He’s desperate to play and he was always going to start this game. We’ll probably take him off to protect him at half-time,” Lancaster said.

Lee Dickson’s older brother Karl, who arrived in South Africa on Monday morning as the replacement for Youngs, will then replace him.

The midweek team will once again be led by lock George Robson and shows six changes from the side that beat the SA Southern Barbarians last week, including a start for British and Irish Lions wing Ugo Monye, who has recovered from a hamstring niggle.

“We want to finish with two wins this week, finish on a high. It’s important to finish on a high note,” Robson stated.

Team – 15-Nick Abendanon, 14-Christian Wade, 13-Anthony Allen, 12-Jordan Turner-Hall, 11-Ugo Monye, 10-Charlie Hodgson, 9-Lee Dickson, 8-Ben Morgan, 7-Carl Fearns, 6-Jamie Gibson, 5-George Robson, 4-Graham Kitchener, 3-Paul Doran-Jones, 2-Tom Youngs, 1-Matt Mullan. Replacements: 16-Joe Gray, 17-Rupert Harden, 18-Mouritz Botha, 19-James Haskell, 20-Karl Dickson, 21-David Strettle, 22-Jonny May.