Valke earns victory after beating Sanlam Boland Cavaliers

The Valke showcased their determination with a commanding 43-26 victory over the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers at Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park, on March 22, moving up to fourth on the log.

The stadium was alive with emotion as fans cheered passionately for both teams.

The Valke delivered an exceptional performance, establishing a significant lead early on.

ALSO READ: Laerkool Kruinsig holds successful rugby clinic

Despite the Cavaliers’ efforts to close the gap, their numerous penalties proved costly, allowing the Valke to capitalise and extend their advantage.

Sanlam Boland Cavaliers coach Hawies Fourie expressed disappointment over his team’s performance but acknowledged the Valke’s dominance.

“We are disappointed. We didn’t play well and missed a hell of a lot of tackles. The Valke really put us under pressure and attacked well. We will need to step up our execution, attack, and one-on-one tackling,” said Fourie.

The Cavaliers’ struggles intensified in the second half when Michael Benadie received a yellow card.

The Valke capitalised on the numerical advantage, scoring twice in 10 minutes through Abulele Ndabambi to effectively seal the game.

Valke coach JP Immelman was pleased with the victory, especially considering the team’s previous heavy loss.

“From the start, we executed our game plan exactly as we had prepared during the week.

“The previous week, we lost 68-16 due to faulty and inaccurate execution, so to turn it around in just three days of training is a massive credit to the players.

ALSO READ: Nigel clinches league rugby title in Kempton Park

“The players kept their heads in the game, believed in themselves, and delivered today. Since Monday, we knew that if we stuck to our plan, we had a chance, and that’s what the guys did,” said Immelman.

Despite their impressive performance, the Valke had moments of lost concentration in the first half, allowing the Cavaliers back into the game with two tries before halftime.

However, a focused halftime talk helped them regain control, ensuring they remained accurate in their execution.

For the Valke, tries were scored by Valentino Wellman, Abulele Ndabambi, Ezrick Alexander, and Mbembe Payi. Keagan Fortune contributed with five conversions and a penalty.

For the Cavaliers, tries came from Sidney Tobias, Lunathi Nxele, and Michael Benadie, while Garth April successfully converted three times.