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The Bolanders scored nine tries, four of them in the first half and five after the break, in a completely one-sided affair played in front of around 2,800 enthusiastic supporters on a hot and windless afternoon in the heart of the winelands.
There were impressive performances all over the park for the Cavaliers, although it must be said that the standard of the opposition left much to be desired at times.
Still, visiting Wellington isn’t the easiest of assignments and, as Border found out on this occasion, when the home side are in the mood for running it can sometimes be a long afternoon for the visiting team.
The Bulldogs had an inkling that this would be the case when captain Bolla Conradie danced his way over as early as the sixth minute for flyhalf Elgar Watts to convert.
Special mention needs to be made here of Watts, who kicked flawlessly for a personal haul of 24 points made up of nine conversions (from nine tries scored) and two penalties.
Not far behind Watts in the race for man of the match honours was fullback Willie le Roux, who scored a brace, hooker Clemen Lewis, and veteran skipper Conradie, who led his troops well and kept them focused on the job at hand.
The net result was an avalanche of points, which revealed perhaps a ruthless edge to this Boland team that hasn’t always been there in seasons past. Only time will tell whether the Cavaliers of 2011 have what it takes to threaten stronger opposition, but one certainly can’t quibble with the way in which they have started their season.
The Cavaliers racked up a 24-0 lead after just 18 minutes thanks to tries from Conradie, Lewis and another veteran, wing Danwel Demas, before the Bulldogs scored the first of their two tries on the half hour via fullback Ntabeni Dukisa.
Eighthman Roy Bursey dived over for the visitors’ second on the stroke of halftime to make it 31-12 but this proved to be the last time they would trouble the scorers.
After the break it was all Cavaliers, with Le Roux (twice), wing Cornal Hendricks, and replacement back Brandon April (also twice) rubbing salt in the wounds.
It’s often not wise to make predictions after just one match, but on the evidence of this performance, another long season lies ahead for the battling Bulldogs.
Scorers:
Boland 69 – Tries: Bolla Conradie, Clemen Lewis, Danwel Demas, penalty try, Willie le Roux (2), Cornal Hendricks, Brandon April (2). Conversions: Elgar Watts (9). Penalties: Watts (2).
Border 12 – Tries: Ntabeni Dukisa, Roy Bursey. Conversion: Dale Sabbagh.
