Bad luck for Valke on Friday the 13th
It was a case of Friday the 13th blues for the Valke at Bosman Stadium on October 13.
Despite a spirited effort, the Valke were unable to overcome the Leopards in their Currie Cup First Division semi-final in Brakpan as they were downed 26-23.
Having trounced the same opposition 44-19 at this very stadium a week prior, the East Rand team would have been confident going into the semi-final but the Leopards know how to win when it counts.
They have won three Currie Cup First Division semi-finals in succession.
A solitary penalty kick from Valke flyhalf Warren Potgieter was the only points that the home side could muster when they headed into the break 19-3 down.
The Valke came back strong in the second stanza with Potgieter causing problems for the visitors.
He scored 18 of the Valke’s total of 23 points with a try, two conversions and three penalty kicks.
The second half was a complete opposite to the first 40 minutes as the Valke came out guns blazing. They were soon rewarded with their first try as tighthead prop Andries Schutte barged over the try line.
Potgieter was on target with the conversion and narrowed the gap to nine points after just three minutes in the second half.
They continued to pressurise the Leopards’ defence and many penalties were conceded.
The Valke flyhalf slotted two more penalties to narrow the gap to three points with a quarter of the match still remaining.
Hearts were broken in the Bosman stands though when the Leopards bagged the try that would eventually see them get the win.
Not that the Valke didn’t throw all they had in the final minutes of the clash.
Potgieter crossed the whitewash and converted his own try but the Leopards held on to their three-point lead to get the important victory.
Point scorers:
• Hino Valke: Tries: Andries Schutte and Warren Potgieter: Conversions: Potgieter (two). Penalties: Potgieter (three).
• Leopards: Tries: Loftus Morrison (two), Juan Language, Gene Willemse. Conversions: Gerhard Nortier.
