Flanker Phillip de Wet ran in four tries to help the Leopards ease to a comfortable 53-28 (32-7) victory over the Border Bulldogs in their Absa Currie Cup First Division clash at Profert Olen Park in Potchefstroom on Saturday.

The home side ran in seven tries in total with Joubert Engelbrecht, Danie Dames and Gerhard Nortier also crossing.

Flyhalf Andre Pretorius kicked 18 points in total, while the visitors managed to reply with four tries of their own, including one from their number 10, Jannie Myburgh as part of a 13-point haul.

It all means that the Leopards are back in second position on the log after slipping down the table over the past 24 hours due to some of their rivals playing earlier.

However, they are now just six points behind the log-leading Eastern Province Kings, who stumbled to a draw against the Ford Pumas this weekend, ahead of the two clashing in Port Elizabeth next week.

But the Leopards will be buoyed ahead of that clash following a result that never looked in doubt once they found their rhythm and stride towards the end of the first quarter.

They hit the lead inside the opening two minutes when former Springbok flyhalf Pretorius slotted over a penalty.

However, the home crowd was then silenced when midfielder Ruan Jacobs ran in a converted try to put the visitors 10-3 up.

That joy proved temporary for the Bulldogs and some sloppy defending allowed De Wet to score the first of his quartet of tries after 10 minutes, with the Leopards never looking back.

Veteran Pretorius sent over another penalty, before centre Engelbrecht crossed the whitewash and loose forward De Wet completed his hat-trick as the Leopards lead by 25 points at the break.

After the restart, Border scrumhalf Lesley-Dean Luiters went over immediately, before winger Dames, who scored a hat-trick himself against the Valke last weekend, went over for his side.

Flyhalf Myburgh and number eight Gareth Krause then scored either side of De Wet’s fourth score, before replacement back Nortier took his side past the half-century mark on the final hooter to cap the win.

SCORERS:

Leopards – Tries: Phillip de Wet (4), Joubert Engelbrecht, Danie Dames, Gerhard Nortier. Conversions: Andre Pretorius (6). Penalties: Pretoruis (2).

Border Bulldogs – Tries: Ruan Jacobs, Lesley-Dean Luiters, Jannie Myburgh, Gareth Krause. Conversions: Jannie Myburgh (4).