Leopards Suffer Late Heartbreak Against Eastern Province
- Karen Scheepers
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Leopards’ streak of agonizingly close defeats continued on Saturday, June 27, 2026, as they fell 40-32 to Eastern Province at the Bergsig Special School. Despite holding the lead deep into the second half, a late surge by the hosts denied the Leopards what would have been a well-deserved victory.
The boys from Potchefstroom showed immense grit in the first half. Tries from Siniothando Tshontsyi and captain Jason Alexander, paired with the accurate boot of flyhalf Jandre Burger, saw the Leopards head into the locker rooms with a hard-fought 15-12 advantage.
Burger extended the lead to 18-12 early in the second stanza with another penalty goal. However, EP's star loose forward CJ Velleman struck back with a quick-fire brace to temporarily wrest the momentum back for the hosts. Refusing to yield, the Leopards capitalised on a yellow card to EP lock Athenkosi Khethani. Tries from Hlumelo Ndudula and Brandon Keevy launched the Leopards back into a 32-26 lead with just 13 minutes left on the clock.
Just when a maiden victory seemed within reach, the wheels unraveled. EP crossed the line via Liyema Matyolweni in the 74th minute to take a one-point lead, before a devastating penalty try in the final minute of the game sealed the 40-32 win for the hosts, cruelly robbing the Leopards of even a solitary losing bonus point.
The Leopards Matchday Squad
The following lineup fought valiantly on the field in Kariega:
Starting XV: 1. Tatenda Chayayi 2. Jason Alexander (C) 3. Munashe Mhere 4. Mncedisi Dlwengu (VC) 5. Ghudian van Reenen 6. Ricardo Fourie 7. Godfrey Sebokolodi 8. Gcino Mdletshe 9. Hlumelo Ndudula 10. Jandré Burger 11. Indiphile Tyeda 12. Brandon Keevy 13. Luyolo Doyi 14. Sino Tshontyi 15. Shaun Baxter.
Reserves: 16. Liyema Mgwigwi 17. Alethwa Buthelezi 18. Rouwan Mitchell 19. Tshepo Tlaka 20. Schalk van Schalkwyk 21. Guhan du Bois 22. Zack Serfontein 23. Naiden Jaarts.
Currie Cup First Division: Round 3 Round-Up
The rest of the weekend's action produced major shake-ups on the log standings, including a near-century of points in Kempton Park:
Valke 96–19 Border Bulldogs: The biggest story of the weekend belonged to the Valke, who ran in an astonishing 14 tries at Barnard Stadium. Winger Ezrick Alexander scored four tries on his own, while Tylor Sefoor contributed a massive 23 points to put Border to the sword.
Griffons 26–54 Dotsure SWD Eagles: In Welkom, the SWD Eagles cemented their status as tournament favorites. Loose forward Ulrich Stander bagged a sensational hat-trick as the visitors completely dismantled the defending champions on their own turf to remain the only unbeaten team left in the competition.
Upcoming Fixture: Crucial Round 4 Clash
With only two rounds remaining before the semi-finals, the Leopards sit fifth on the log with 5 points. They return home to Potchefstroom next weekend with everything on the line, desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Match: Leopards vs Valke
Competition: Carling Currie Cup First Division
Round: Round 4
Venue: Olen Park, Potchefstroom
Date: Saturday, 4 July 2026
Time: 15:00
Final Whistle
With a brutal string of narrow defeats behind them, the Leopards must now find a way to plug the late-game defensive leaks and turn their undeniable attacking firepower into a full 80-minute performance. The point-scoring capabilities are clearly there, but tightening up discipline in the final ten minutes will be the main focus on the training pitch this week. As they head back to Olen Park, the team will need their home crowd in full force to help them break this streak, grab that elusive first win, and keep their playoff ambitions alive
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