The Leopards beat the SWD Eagles 47-42 in their Currie Cup promotion/relegation match in Potchefstroom on Saturday, but allowed their opponents to remain in with a chance in the second leg as they conceded three tries in the last 10 minutes.

The Leopards looked in firm control as they led 42-23 after 73 minutes, but the remarkable Eagles finish means South-Western Districts will take two bonus points into next week's second leg and if they can win and deny North-West any bonus points then they will earn promotion.

Having scored four tries, earning their own bonus point, by the half-hour mark to power 26-9 ahead, the Leopards took care for the first 30 minutes of the second half to keep building on their lead. Flyhalf Cecil Dumond kicked three penalties to make it 35-16 and the home side added two more tries in the final quarter as the game opened up.

But the Leopards were on their knees at the end as the Eagles, with nothing to lose, produced some dazzling running rugby as their continued efforts to give the ball air finally paid off as replacement scrumhalf Jandre' Blom, replacement hooker Junior Leota and wing Baldwin McBean all scored tries.

The Eagles had earlier opened the scoring in the third minute with a penalty by flyhalf Ricardo Croy after centres Joe Breytenbach and Bobby Joubert had made the hard yards. Croy then doubled the lead with a penalty from 50 metres after the Leopards had gone off their feet at a ruck.

Struggling to maintain possession was why the Leopards made a slow start, but hanging on to the ball and keeping it through several phases proved the key in breaking the Eagles defence.

North-West's opening try came in the ninth minute thanks to a piercing run by wing Shuaib Samaai, who enjoyed a top-class first half as he showed a high work rate and broke through in midfield several times.

Samaai was having more fun with ball in hand nine minutes later, cutting through the middle of the field and then finding wing Danie Dames with a long pass out wide. Dames forced his way over through three tackles for an exhilarating try.

This time Dumond converted and the Leopards led 12-6 before their forwards fell foul of referee Marius Jonker at the breakdown again and Croy succeeded with another penalty to keep the Eagles very much in with a shout at 9-12.

Samaai went on another incisive run in the 23rd minute and then looked to the outside, where inside centre Basil de Doncker came racing through to take the pass and score.

Five minutes later, the Leopards showed once again just what an attacking threat they can be when they once again found space out wide with Dames running well, the ball being recycled and spread left, where De Doncker showed some wonderful stepping to disintegrate the defence before outside centre Jovan Bowles roared up in support to take the try-scoring pass.

Dumond converted both tries and the Leopards led 26-9, but the Eagles showed that there is tremendous spirit in their side as they grabbed an important try just before half-time.

Breytenbach was to the fore again as he crashed the ball forward and then passed in the tackle for Joubert to score, Croy converting on a good day with the boot as he succeeded with his first six kicks at goal.

The Leopards tight five had been thoroughly dominant though in the first half and, after the break, they hung on to the ball with the determination of a dog with his last bone. They earned Dumond three penalties and North-West led 35-16 on the hour mark.

But from the kickoff after the third penalty, McBean did superbly to wait for Leopards flank Wilhelm Koch to come down from the air with the ball and then turned over possession, putting the Eagles firmly on attack. After several rucks close to the tryline, scrumhalf Dougie Hellmuth scooted over low to the ground.

But the Leopards rumbled back into Eagles territory and when replacement scrumhalf Theo van Wyk dived over from a ruck close to the line, and Dumond converted, the lead was 42-23 and SWD needed a fairy godmother if they were going to have any chance.

The fairytale almost came true as Blom hacked a penalty in his own half into the Leopards' 22 and then won the race for the ball to score, Leota stormed through four tackles to score in the 77th minute and McBean ended a thrilling Eagles' attack two minutes later.

The Leopards had managed a crucial try in between however, with De Doncker straightening the line well to create the space for Bowles to score his second try, but the Mielie Boere will know they face another humdinger in George in the decider on Friday.

The Scorers: