Eastern Province Elephants

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Eastern Province Elephants
170px
Full name Eastern Province Elephants
Union Eastern Province Rugby Union
Founded 1888
Region Western half of the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Ground(s) Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (Capacity: 48,000)
President Maasdorp Cannon
Coach(es) Dumisani Mhani
Captain(s) Garrick Mattheus
League(s) Currie Cup First Division
2022 Runners-up
2nd on log
Team kit
Official website
www.eprugby.co.za
Rugby current event.svg Current season

The Eastern Province Elephants (known as the Multisure Eastern Province Elephants for sponsorship reasons) are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup and Rugby Challenge competitions. They are governed by the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU or EP Rugby). The team represents the Western half of the Eastern Cape province, and they play their home games at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

In February 2018, the EPRU announced that the name of the team would revert to Eastern Province Elephants for the 2018 season.[1]

History

The Eastern Province Rugby Football Union was founded in 1888. The team was originally a representative team, drawing players from within the provincial union area's local clubs.

Professionalism and Super Rugby

File:Eastern Province Kings logo.svg
The team was known as the Eastern Province Kings from 2010 to 2017.

However, with the advent of professionalism in rugby union in 1995, the team contracted players from various areas. The Eastern Province Elephants is a professional team run by the EPRU, who are also responsible for junior representative rugby teams and administrative matters in the region.

Prior to 2010, they were known as the Mighty Elephants, but in order to align themselves with the Super Rugby side the Southern Kings, who were also governed by the EPRU, they changed their name to Eastern Province Kings. After the 2010 World Cup, they moved their offices to the new Port Elizabeth Stadium to establish their new headquarters. The team is the primary feeder to the Southern Kings, which also incorporates the [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] and the [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]].[2]

Financial problems and liquidation

After late payments of player salaries throughout most of the 2015 season, it came to a head in November 2015, when the EPRU failed to meet a final deadline imposed by the South African Rugby Players Association. All players' contracts were declared null and void, leading to an exodus of players.[3] A few days later, the South African Rugby Union announced that they would take control of the affiliated Southern Kings Super Rugby franchise,[4] and released an operational plan in early December which indicated that SARU would operate the franchise independently from the Eastern Province Kings.[5]

After a petition handed to president Cheeky Watson, in which players announced their refusal to play for the Eastern Province Kings or Southern Kings until certain issues were sorted out,[6] was not met, the South African Rugby Players' Association submitted a liquidation application in January 2016 against EP Rugby (Pty) Ltd on behalf of eighteen Eastern Province Kings players who were not included in the Southern Kings Super Rugby squad for 2016 and have not received their salaries since September 2015.[7] The Port Elizabeth High Court provisionally liquidated Eastern Province Rugby in March 2016 and imposed a deadline of 10 May 2016 to pay outstanding player salaries, before the liquidation order would being made final.[8]

The Eastern Province Kings submitted details of a rescue package to the High Court in May 2016,[9] which saw the liquidation order being postponed until 4 August 2016. In July 2016, it emerged that the rescue package would not come to fruition and SARU withdrew their appeal against the final liquidation order.[10] On 4 August 2016, the High Court ruled that the Eastern Province Kings should be liquidated.[11]

Within hours of the liquidation being finalised, SARU released a statement that an Eastern Province Kings team funded by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality would continue to participate in the 2016 Currie Cup Premier Division.[12]

Stadium

The team was originally based at St George's Park. This was also where the very first South African Rugby and Cricket Tests took place. They shared the ground with the Eastern Province cricket team.

In 1959, the EPRU decided to move the team to the then named Boet Erasmus Stadium and the inauguration took place in 1960 with the test between the Springboks and Scotland on 30 April 1960. The stadium was later named Telkom Park, due to a naming rights deal, and then renamed to the current name, the EPRU Stadium. The team played most home matches at the stadium, with a few hosted at other venues in Port Elizabeth and surrounding towns. During the late 2000s, the team shared the stadium with football (soccer) club Bay United.

In 2009, the team played its first match at their current home, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Honours

The team's major tournament wins include the 2002 Vodacom Shield, 2010 Currie Cup First Division and 2012 Currie Cup First Division.

Results by season

The table below indicates the Elephants' recent finishes. This includes games played as Eastern Province, Eastern Province Kings and Mighty Elephants.

Currie Cup
Season Pool/group No. of teams Position Play-off result
1988 Currie Cup Division A 7 6th
1989 Currie Cup Division A 8 8th
1990 Currie Cup Division A 8 5th
1991 Currie Cup 6 6th
1992 Currie Cup 6 6th
1993 Currie Cup 6 3rd
1994 Currie Cup 6 6th
1995 Currie Cup 6 5th
1996 Currie Cup Section A 7 5th
1997 Currie Cup 14 14th
1998 Currie Cup 14 9th
1999 Currie Cup 14 7th
2000 Currie Cup Section X 7 5th
Bankfin Cup1 6 1st Losing Finalists
2001 Currie Cup Section X 7 7th
Bankfin Cup1 6 3rd
2002 Currie Cup Section Y 7 7th
Bankfin Cup1 6 3rd
2003 Currie Cup Qualifying 8 6th
First Division 6 3rd
2004 First Division 6 5th
2005 Premier Division Section X 7 5th
First Division Section X2 3 2nd Losing Semi-Finalists
2006 First Division 6 4th Losing Finalists
2007 First Division 6 2nd Losing Finalists
2008 First Division 6 6th
2009 First Division 6 4th Losing Semi-Finalists
2010 First Division 6 2nd Champions
promotion/relegation 2 2nd Failed to win promotion
2011 First Division 6 2nd Losing Finalists
2012 First Division 8 1st Champions
promotion/relegation 2 2nd Failed to win promotion
2013 First Division 8 2nd Losing Finalists, Promoted
2014 Premier Division 8 8th
2015 Premier Division 8 7th

1 Between 2000 and 2002, the top 4 in each section qualified for the Top 8 tournament, the bottom 3 in each section for the Bankfin Cup.
2 In 2005, the top 4 in each section qualified for the Premier Division, the bottom 3 in each section for the First Division.

Vodacom Cup
Season Pool/group No. of teams Position Play-off result
1998 Vodacom Cup Section A 7 4th
1999 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 7 4th
2000 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 7 3rd Losing Quarter Finalists
2001 Vodacom Cup Section X 8 5th
Vodacom Shield1 6 2nd Losing Finalists
2002 Vodacom Cup Section X 7 6th
Vodacom Shield1 6 3rd Champions
2003 Vodacom Shield 7 4th Losing Semi-Finalists
2004 Vodacom Shield 7 6th
2005 Vodacom Cup Section X 7 7th
2006 Vodacom Cup 14 12th
2007 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 7 4th Losing Quarter Finalists
2008 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 7 6th
2009 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 7 7th
2010 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 8 6th
2011 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 8 5th
2012 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 8 3rd Losing Quarter Finalists
2013 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 8 3rd Losing Semi-Finalists
2014 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 8 5th
2015 Vodacom Cup Southern Section 8 5th

1 Between 2001 and 2002, the top 4 in each section qualified for the Vodacom Top 8 tournament, the bottom 3 in each section for the Vodacom Shield.

Super 10
Season Pool/group No. of teams Position Play-off result
1994 Super 10 Pool A 5 5th

Current season

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Current squad

The following players were included in the Eastern Province Elephants squad for the 2022 Currie Cup First Division:[13]

Eastern Province Elephants Currie Cup squad

Props

  • South Africa Duncan Du Buisson
  • South Africa Cebo Gidane
  • South Africa Luxolo Koza
  • South Africa Sibusiso Lali
  • South Africa Rob Lyons
  • South Africa Sive Mazosiwe
  • South Africa Siya Nzuzo
  • South Africa Roche van Zyl
  • South Africa Vian Wolmarans

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Scrum-halves

  • South Africa Chucky Ismail
  • South Africa Rouche Nel
  • South Africa Sacha Toring

Fly-halves

Centres

Wingers

  • South Africa Riaan Arends
  • South Africa Rodney Damons
  • South Africa Dayle Nel
  • South Africa Qeutyne Oerson

Fullbacks
(c) Denotes team captain and Bold denotes internationally capped.

Team officials

Coaches
Peter de Villiers Head coach
Sivuyile Kobokana Forwards coach
Garrin August Backs coach
Thando Manana Team manager

Records

Eastern Province Elephants records:[14]

Team match records
Record Opposition Venue Season
Biggest win [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 2001 110–17
Biggest Currie Cup win [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 2013 63–7
Heaviest defeat [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 1998 12–80
Heaviest Currie Cup defeat [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] 1984 3–65
Highest score [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 2001 110
Most points conceded [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 1998 80
Most tries [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 2001 16
Most Currie Cup tries [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 2011 11
Player match records
Record Player Opposition Venue Season
Most points by a player Hennie le Roux [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 1991 38
Most Currie Cup points by a player Bertus Kruger [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] 1996 29
Most tries by a player Erich Knoetze [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] Rustenburg 1991 5
Frikkie Crous [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 1994 5
Norman Nelson [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] [[{{{san}}}|{{{s}}}]], [[{{{slan}}}|{{{sl}}}]] 2010 5
Team season records
Record Matches Season
Most team points in 27 matches 2012 875
Most Currie Cup team points in 27 matches 2012 611
Most team tries in 24 matches 2003 103
in 27 matches 2012 103
Most Currie Cup team tries in 18 matches 2012 76
Player season records
Record Player Season
Most points by a player Bertus Kruger 1996 282
Most Currie Cup points by a player Brett Hennessey 2002 153
Most tries by a player Manie van Vuuren 1994 14
Henry Pedro 1998 14
Fabian Juries 2003 14
Most Currie Cup tries by a player Henry Pedro 1998 13
Luke Watson 2012 13
Player career records
Record Player Seasons
Most appearances Barry Pinnock 1993–2002 173
Most points Giepie van Zyl 1981–1988 1,126
Most Currie Cup points Giepie van Zyl 1981–1988 755
Most tries Norman Nelson 2006–2013 56

References

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External links

Template:Eastern Province Elephants

Template:Eastern Province Elephants squad

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