THE BORDER Bulldogs lifted themselves off the foot of the Absa Currie Cup First Division table with a comprehensive 35-14 victory over the Valke at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London yesterday afternoon.
The victory, their best of the season, moved them to sixth in the eight team log as they collected the all important bonus point through four tries.
The Bulldogs improved in the second stanza as their first half was highlighted by errors, mis-timed passes and intermittent penalties for various reasons.
The Bulldogs took the lead through a Dale Sabbagh penalty in the 16th minute after Valke flyhalf Juan Kotze missed an opportunity to take the lead with a sixth minute penalty.
The Bulldogs increased their lead four minutes later as Sabbagh found the target with another penalty, this time from 40-metres out.
The Valke made amends and found momentum going forward as they looked to get on the scoreboard before the interval. Border’s solid defence held until the half-hour mark and then the Anrich Richter show began.
The Valke scrumhalf scored two tries in two minutes to put the visitors in an eight point lead with Kotze successful with both conversions (14-8).
Richter found space around the fringes of the ruck five metres from the Bulldogs tryline and muscled his way over for his first try.
From the kickoff the visitors again broke easily through the Border defence, and Richter was on the end of a well worked try, highlighted by brilliant support play.
After going into the interval 6-14 behind, the Bulldogs looked to come back into the game and saw more ball.
They closed the gap to three points with a Stephan Gerber try from a rolling maul from 10-metres out, Sabbagh missing the extra two points.
However, the former Selborne College pupil soon made amends with another 40-metre penalty to level the scores in the 57th minute.
Border had their tails up and subsequently went ahead for the second time in the game through a Dwayne Jenner seven pointer.
The home side extended their lead with another seven pointer with 10 minutes remaining when scrumhalf Shannon Rick went over the line from close range.
The Bulldogs went over for their fourth and bonus point try when Rick completed his brace on the stroke of full time.
Bulldogs win it in second half
The victory, their best of the season, moved them to sixth in the eight team log as they collected the all important bonus point through four tries.
The Bulldogs improved in the second stanza as their first half was highlighted by errors, mis-timed passes and intermittent penalties for various reasons.
The Bulldogs took the lead through a Dale Sabbagh penalty in the 16th minute after Valke flyhalf Juan Kotze missed an opportunity to take the lead with a sixth minute penalty.
The Bulldogs increased their lead four minutes later as Sabbagh found the target with another penalty, this time from 40-metres out.
The Valke made amends and found momentum going forward as they looked to get on the scoreboard before the interval. Border’s solid defence held until the half-hour mark and then the Anrich Richter show began.
The Valke scrumhalf scored two tries in two minutes to put the visitors in an eight point lead with Kotze successful with both conversions (14-8).
Richter found space around the fringes of the ruck five metres from the Bulldogs tryline and muscled his way over for his first try.
From the kickoff the visitors again broke easily through the Border defence, and Richter was on the end of a well worked try, highlighted by brilliant support play.
After going into the interval 6-14 behind, the Bulldogs looked to come back into the game and saw more ball.
They closed the gap to three points with a Stephan Gerber try from a rolling maul from 10-metres out, Sabbagh missing the extra two points.
However, the former Selborne College pupil soon made amends with another 40-metre penalty to level the scores in the 57th minute.
Border had their tails up and subsequently went ahead for the second time in the game through a Dwayne Jenner seven pointer.
The home side extended their lead with another seven pointer with 10 minutes remaining when scrumhalf Shannon Rick went over the line from close range.
The Bulldogs went over for their fourth and bonus point try when Rick completed his brace on the stroke of full time.
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