ANATHI WULUSHE
Young Leopards, Swallows, and East London Police were the first Border Rugby clubs to book their spots in the Eastern Cape Super 14 quarterfinals this past weekend, each with a game in hand.
In contrast, for Old Boys and Buffs it was a Saturday they would want to forget, as their chances of progressing to the knockout stages were erased, while Walter Sisulu University Eagles are hanging by a thread.
Swallows, by virtue of beating Old Boys 34-12 at George Randell High in West Bank, moved to 10 points and are currently on top in Conference A.
They lead Leopards, who have nine points, after their 18-8 victory over Buffs at Baysville School of Skills.
The situation in Conference A now means that even if Buffs, who have two points, get five points in their last group fixture against Old Boys, it would not be enough for them to advance.
The same goes for Old Boys.
Only the top two sides in both Border Conference A and B proceed to the quarters after three games.
In conference B, Police got through to the knockout stages of the competition after they beat Komga United 34-3 at the Komga Fields.
The win meant that Bobbies have 10 points after two games. By beating Komga, they created a complex situation in the conference, which may need calculators to decide matters after the last round of group matches.
It is a three-horse race for the second available spot in the quarters.
Komga have four points, Fort Beaufort United six and WSU Eagles two.
FB United got a narrow win over WSU Eagles at the WSU Zamakulungisa Field in Mthatha.
It comes down to whether four-time winners of the Super 14 Police beat FB United and Komga win on the last day, then Komga will go through if they win against WSU Eagles.
If 2025 runners-up FB United beat Police, they proceed, even if Komga beat WSU Eagles by a bonus point.
It was tries galore in all four fixtures in the region despite the rainy weather conditions.
In the game at Baysville at the Border Rugby Union headquarters, it was closely contested, with Leopards, from Ducats, only narrowly having a 5-3 lead in the first 40 minutes.
But in the second half, Amahobohobo managed to add 13 points.
Old Boys were trailing Swallows 13-12 at halftime, but they let the Mdantsane side go on cruise control in the second stanza, conceding 21 points.
Police took a 15-point lead in their game against Komga in the halfway stage, while the Eagles had a 19-12 advantage over FB United before the men from KwaMaqoma showed why they went deep in the competition in 2025, overturning the Eagles’ first-half lead.
