The First Division, South Africa's second tier domestic provincial competition, is a two horse race at the moment, with the EP Kings and Boland Cavaliers leading the pack at the halfway stage.

The EP Kings, still unbeaten this season, had a bye this week, but the Cavaliers closed the gap at the top of the standings by beating third-placed SWD Eagles by 49-24 at the Boland Stadium in Wellington last Friday.

Boland scored eight tries on a cold and wet afternoon, with Junior Bester getting a hat-trick and Willie le Roux adding a brace.

At the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park, Reg Muller scored three of the Falcons' nine as they beat the Border Bulldogs by 57-42 in an entertaining and high-scoring match.

The Bulldogs got a bonus point for four tries, which saw them move to six log points, one more than bottom placed Griffons, who also had a bye this weekend.

All the weekend scores and scorers:

Falcons 57-42 Border Bulldogs:

Scorers:

For the Falcons:
Tries: Coert Cronje, John-Wessel Bell, Reg Muller 3, Zander de Kock, Kyle Hendricks, Chanley Williams, Martin Thomsen
Cons: Hendricks, Williams 3, Thomsen 2

For the Border Bulldogs:
Tries: Shane Spring, Vuyo Mboto, Byron Mcguigan, Ntabeni Dukisa
Cons: Dukisa 2
Pens: Dukisa 6

Boland Cavaliers 49-24 SWD Eagles:

Scorers:

For the Boland Cavaliers:
Tries: Junior Bester 3, Cornal Hendricks, Zandre Jordaan, Willie le Roux 2, Bolla Conradie
Cons: Elgar Watts 3
Pen: Watts

For the SWD Eagles:
Tries: Howard Noble, Jeff Taljard 2
Cons: Elric van Vuuren 3
Pen: Van Vuuren

Standings (under headings games played, won and points): Eastern Province Kings 5 5 23; Boland Cavaliers 5 4 21; SWD Eagles 5 3 14; Falcons 5 2 10; Border Bulldogs 5 1 6; Griffons 5 0 5.