Defensive frailties cost Cavas in Griffons' loss - Fourie

Sanlam Boland Cavaliers flyhalf, Ashlon Davids, could be out for weeks after suffering a rib injury in this past Saturday’s SA Cup game against the NovaVit Griffons in Welkom.

The Cavaliers lost the game 35-38 as Davids left the field with five minutes of play left and coach Hawies Fourie confirmed that the 2024 Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year will not be available when they tackle the Valke on 22 March at Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park.

And of Davids potentially missing other crucial SA Cup fixtures, Fourie said after the game: "Ashlon went to a [nearby] MediClinic and it looks like one of his ribs got injured quite badly.

"We will know by Monday where we stand in terms of how long Ashlon will be unavailable, but it does not look good and could mean that he will be out of action for a couple of weeks."

'DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE'

Meanwhile, the Cavas managed to secure two crucial bonus points in their loss to the Griffons, which saw Fourie's men hold on to fourth spot in the SA Cup standings with a total of seven points. Still, Fourie did not hold back on his disappointment and singled out some defensive frailties as he watched his side scupper an early 18-point lead at the Down Touch Investments Stadium.

"I am disappointed in our team’s performance today," Fourie said of how his side allowed the Griffons to come back into the game. "We started well and at one stage we led 28-10 but I never took comfort in that early lead.

"I could see how easily we handed back momentum to the Griffons and every time they had a set-piece (scrum or lineout) inside our 22-metre area, they went on to score.

"It is not good enough and we will have to go and work hard on our body position in the tackle. We were sometimes too upright and gave away momentum when making a hit on the opposition."

And although Boland stood their ground in the scrums and the lineouts, Fourie added that usually very accurate attack not firing on all cylinders during a tightly contested second half: "We made some crucial errors at times by losing the ball or getting turned over just as we were about to score [in the second half]."