EP's hopes of winning the Currie Cup First Division title were dealt a blow when they stumbled to a narrow 26-17 defeat against the table-topping Boland Cavaliers on Saturday.
The Elephants arrived in Wellington with an unbeaten record after three rounds, but they came unstuck against an in-form Boland outfit who have proved to be invincible so far.
It was a fourth consecutive win for the Bolanders, who have emerged as the early favourites to lift the First Division title.
Boland managed to secure victory despite only having 11 men on the field at one stage after multiple players were yellow-carded.
Thanks to their victory, which included four sparkling tries, Boland remained at the top of the First Division standings and in pole position to lift silverware.
“I must say we lost to a good team,” EP coach Dumisani Mhani said.
“It was not through a lack of trying that we ended up on the losing side.
“I must say the Bolanders did their homework on us and it was a very tough game.
“There will be some work-ons we will be focusing on before our next game against the Border Bulldogs.
“This is not the end of the world, but there is work to be done.
“It is now up to us to pick ourselves up and get into the journey again.”
Boland made a fast start and were ahead 14-0 after 27 minutes thanks to tries from Dylan Maart and Connor Mahoney.
Livewire wing Jayden Bantom scored a try for the Elephants who trailed 19-5 at the break in a top-of-the-table clash.
Playing with attacking freedom, Boland claimed the log points with further tries from Darion Hock and Cameron Hufke.
EP stayed in touching distance of the Bolanders thanks to second-half tries from Chucky Ismail and Aya Oliphant.
The Elephants were without influential flyhalf Masixole Banda, who did not make the trip to Boland because of family reasons.
Last week in-form Boland thrashed the Border Bulldogs 57-6 and EP scored a narrow 31-27 win over the Falcons at the Adcock Stadium.
The race for the First Division title could be decided when EP face the Bolanders in their final league match in Gqeberha on May 13.
After their defeat against Boland, EP will be anxious to return to winning ways when they face the struggling Border Bulldogs at home on Saturday at a venue that still has to be decided on.
Border, who were thrashed 50-12 by the SWD Eagles on Saturday, have yet to win a match this season and are marooned at the bottom of the log.
In the only other First Division match played on Saturday, the Falcons beat the Leopards 43-27.
Scorers:
Boland Cavaliers 26: Tries: Dylan Maart, Connor Mahoney, Darrion Hock, Cameron Hufke. Conversions: Feghan-Leigh Snyder (2), Cameron Hufkie.
EP Elephants 17: Tries: Jayden Bantom, Chucky Ismail, Aya Oliphant. Conversion: Tiaan Schutte.
Other results: Falcons 43 Leopards 27, Border Bulldogs 12 SWD Eagles 50.
EP’s remaining home fixtures (venues in brackets): March 11 vs Border Bulldogs (to be decided), April 2 vs Zimbabwe (to be decided), April 8 vs Diables, Spain (to be decided), April 15 vs Leopards (Adcock Stadium), April 22 vs Kenya (Wolfson Stadium), May 13 vs Boland Cavaliers (to be decided).