The Valke fought back from a halftime deficit to claim a thrilling 41-30 victory over Eastern Province in an entertaining SA Cup encounter at Barnard Stadium. Despite trailing 14-22 at the break, the home side produced a strong second-half performance, scoring five tries in total to seal an important win.
Eastern Province Strike Early
Eastern Province started the match with confidence, bouncing back from an early Valke try by Valentino Wellman (6’), which was converted by Keagan Fortune. Moments later, fullback Mbembe Payi (12′) extended the hosts’ lead to 14-0, with Fortune again adding the extra two points.
The visitors, however, hit back in dominant fashion. Troy Delport (18’), Rodney Damons (25’, 35’), and Jayden Bantom (56’) all crossed the try line, while Christian Humphries kept the scoreboard ticking with two conversions and two penalty goals. By halftime, Eastern Province had turned the game around, leading 22-14.
Second-Half Surge from Valke
The Valke came out with renewed intensity in the second half, and their dominance soon translated into points. Scrumhalf Wernich Aucamp (51′) and flanker Zander Van Der Merwe (53′) crossed in quick succession, both converted by the accurate boot of Fortune, swinging the game back in the Valke’s favor.
Despite a penalty from Christian Humphries (74’) keeping Eastern Province within striking distance, the Valke’s superior discipline and forward dominance ensured they controlled the final moments of the match. Sergio Stalmeester (77’) put the result beyond doubt with a late try, once again converted by Fortune, who ended the match with a perfect kicking record—five conversions and two penalties.
Discipline Issues Cost Eastern Province
Eastern Province’s chances were hampered by three yellow cards, with Zukisa Sali, Deon Plaatjies, and Laken Gray all spending time in the sin bin. The numerical disadvantage proved costly, as the Valke capitalized on their extra-man advantage in key moments of the game.
Keagan Fortune Steers Valke to Victory
Fly-half Keagan Fortune was instrumental in the Valke’s success, contributing 16 points through his accurate goal-kicking. His game management and composure under pressure allowed the home side to take control in the latter stages of the match.
Final Thoughts
This result will be a confidence booster for the Valke, who showed resilience and attacking intent to come back from a halftime deficit. Eastern Province, despite a strong start, will rue their discipline issues, which proved to be the turning point in the contest.
With this victory, the Valke put themselves in a strong position in the SA Cup standings, while Eastern Province will need to regroup and address their defensive lapses ahead of their next fixture.
