Nothing but a win will suffice for the Border women’s team when they host Western Province in the final of the women’s inter-provincial rugby competition A division at the BCM Stadium on Saturday.
Border will also be out for revenge after their three-year winning streak in the tournament was brought to an abrupt end when going down 7-5 to WP earlier in the season.
Border have been at the pinnacle of women’s rugby in the country since 2013 when they claimed the title, and have since not relinquished it, winning three interprovincials in a row.
Their amazing run of wins had started in 2013, after they lost against WP in Cape Town, and it was almost poetic that the Cape side would end that run in East London this season.
Border will thus be eager to claim a good win over their rivals and make it four titles in a row in the process.
“We are very excited for the match and we want to get a bit of revenge,” said Border women’s coach Malibong we Kradu.
The match should be a cracking clash as both teams come into the final in hot form.
Western Province lost their first match of the competition against Eastern Province, but have since gone on a run of four straight wins, including a good 12-7 victory over the Bulls women to clinch their final spot.
For Border their only blip was against Western Province, finishing the pool phase on 20 points, three ahead of their fellow finalists.
Since that loss Border shut out the Bulls 19-0 in Pretoria and hammered EP 47-10 in East London.
“I believe we have a stronger side than Western Province,” said Kradu.
“We have played well the whole season and our last game was a big win over our close rivals EP, so we will take that momentum into the match.”
It is not all about the A division final this weekend, however, as the women’s rugby season reaches its climax with the B division final between the Golden Lions and Free State also on show, while the winners of the Northern and Southern sections of the U18 Women’s Youth Training Centre tournament hosted in August, Western Province and the Limpopo Blue Bulls, will also do battle on the day in a feast of women’s rugby action.
“This is going to be the highlight of the women’s rugby season and we are very excited to host it once again,” said Border women rugby co-ordinator Mandisa Williams.
“This is the second time we are hosting this finals weekend after we hosted it last year, and it is great for the home of women’s rugby in the country to have this weekend.
“It is a massive boost for women’s rugby in the region and for young rugby players to come and watch and see what can be achieved. It is massive for them.”
In the B division final, the two form unbeaten teams will be hunting promotion to the A division when they take on one another in the curtain-raiser.
Free State topped section one and the Lions topped section two at the end of the pool stage, and these two sides will be eager to claim the title and promotion to the premier competition.
The day’s rugby action kicks off with the Limpopo Blue Bulls and Western Province U18s at 11am, followed by the B division final at 1pm and the A division final at 3pm.
Border to square up to a Cape firestorm
Border will also be out for revenge after their three-year winning streak in the tournament was brought to an abrupt end when going down 7-5 to WP earlier in the season.
Border have been at the pinnacle of women’s rugby in the country since 2013 when they claimed the title, and have since not relinquished it, winning three interprovincials in a row.
Their amazing run of wins had started in 2013, after they lost against WP in Cape Town, and it was almost poetic that the Cape side would end that run in East London this season.
Border will thus be eager to claim a good win over their rivals and make it four titles in a row in the process.
“We are very excited for the match and we want to get a bit of revenge,” said Border women’s coach Malibong we Kradu.
The match should be a cracking clash as both teams come into the final in hot form.
Western Province lost their first match of the competition against Eastern Province, but have since gone on a run of four straight wins, including a good 12-7 victory over the Bulls women to clinch their final spot.
For Border their only blip was against Western Province, finishing the pool phase on 20 points, three ahead of their fellow finalists.
Since that loss Border shut out the Bulls 19-0 in Pretoria and hammered EP 47-10 in East London.
“I believe we have a stronger side than Western Province,” said Kradu.
“We have played well the whole season and our last game was a big win over our close rivals EP, so we will take that momentum into the match.”
It is not all about the A division final this weekend, however, as the women’s rugby season reaches its climax with the B division final between the Golden Lions and Free State also on show, while the winners of the Northern and Southern sections of the U18 Women’s Youth Training Centre tournament hosted in August, Western Province and the Limpopo Blue Bulls, will also do battle on the day in a feast of women’s rugby action.
“This is going to be the highlight of the women’s rugby season and we are very excited to host it once again,” said Border women rugby co-ordinator Mandisa Williams.
“This is the second time we are hosting this finals weekend after we hosted it last year, and it is great for the home of women’s rugby in the country to have this weekend.
“It is a massive boost for women’s rugby in the region and for young rugby players to come and watch and see what can be achieved. It is massive for them.”
In the B division final, the two form unbeaten teams will be hunting promotion to the A division when they take on one another in the curtain-raiser.
Free State topped section one and the Lions topped section two at the end of the pool stage, and these two sides will be eager to claim the title and promotion to the premier competition.
The day’s rugby action kicks off with the Limpopo Blue Bulls and Western Province U18s at 11am, followed by the B division final at 1pm and the A division final at 3pm.
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