The honeymoon the Border Bulldogs coaching staff enjoyed during the 2015 season is over, the union’s executive has resolved.
According to a Border Rugby Football Union administrator, the union had been lenient regarding the coaching staff led by head coach Elliot Fana in 2015. They were given time to settle in but come the 2016 season strict and consistent assessment will be the order of the day.
The Bulldogs finished bottom of the Currie Cup First Division this year. “The executive of Border is clear about one thing, they are not going to be impressed by mere misses, mere wins and all that kind of stuff,” Monde Tabatha warned.
“The Bulldogs must step up to win matches and move up the log standings,” he said
To ensure that the strict stance the union is taking for the 2016 season is not viewed as unreasonable, the East London-based provincial union has since established a technical committee led by Bongo Nontshinga to consistently assess, assist and review the Bulldogs’ performance.
Nontshinga, also head of sport at WSU and deputy chairman of University Sport SA (USSA) Rugby, comes in to his post, highly recommended after his brilliant job in turning around the fortunes of the university’s rugby side – from nobodies to giant killers.
Tabatha said: “This decision to set up the technical committee is meant to bring in some outside expertise.
“Coaches are often too worried about winning that they do not look at certain things and they do not have a full perspective of problems they might be facing,” added Tabatha.
“As for why Bongo is the right person to chair this committee, he is a smart chap with an impressive work temperament and generally a solid fellow who knows his rugby.”
Preparations for the upcoming season have already started with eight players promoted from the U21 ranks to the senior team.
Tabatha though expressed concern over Border losing their star performers at the end of every season as was the case with Lukhanyo “Luk” Am who has since landed a contract with the Sharks.
“It is a good move for his rugby and financial prospects but definitely a big loss for us,” said Tabatha
“In the future, it would be strategic of Border to get to a point of being able to retain talent.”
Tabatha, a Saru (SA Rugby Union) deployee at Border mandated to stabilise the province, also believes there is “squandering” of resources at Border”.
“By that I mean there is no relationship between the coach of the senior team and his counterparts in the U21s and U19s and other junior structures.”
This is a big cause for concern, he continued, because many talented prospects disappear in the system or are grabbed by other unions with Border not knowing that such a player was ever in their structures.
In this regard, the relationship between all coaches at all levels at Border will be institutionalised.
Honeymoon over for Bulldogs
According to a Border Rugby Football Union administrator, the union had been lenient regarding the coaching staff led by head coach Elliot Fana in 2015. They were given time to settle in but come the 2016 season strict and consistent assessment will be the order of the day.
The Bulldogs finished bottom of the Currie Cup First Division this year. “The executive of Border is clear about one thing, they are not going to be impressed by mere misses, mere wins and all that kind of stuff,” Monde Tabatha warned.
“The Bulldogs must step up to win matches and move up the log standings,” he said
To ensure that the strict stance the union is taking for the 2016 season is not viewed as unreasonable, the East London-based provincial union has since established a technical committee led by Bongo Nontshinga to consistently assess, assist and review the Bulldogs’ performance.
Nontshinga, also head of sport at WSU and deputy chairman of University Sport SA (USSA) Rugby, comes in to his post, highly recommended after his brilliant job in turning around the fortunes of the university’s rugby side – from nobodies to giant killers.
Tabatha said: “This decision to set up the technical committee is meant to bring in some outside expertise.
“Coaches are often too worried about winning that they do not look at certain things and they do not have a full perspective of problems they might be facing,” added Tabatha.
“As for why Bongo is the right person to chair this committee, he is a smart chap with an impressive work temperament and generally a solid fellow who knows his rugby.”
Preparations for the upcoming season have already started with eight players promoted from the U21 ranks to the senior team.
Tabatha though expressed concern over Border losing their star performers at the end of every season as was the case with Lukhanyo “Luk” Am who has since landed a contract with the Sharks.
“It is a good move for his rugby and financial prospects but definitely a big loss for us,” said Tabatha
“In the future, it would be strategic of Border to get to a point of being able to retain talent.”
Tabatha, a Saru (SA Rugby Union) deployee at Border mandated to stabilise the province, also believes there is “squandering” of resources at Border”.
“By that I mean there is no relationship between the coach of the senior team and his counterparts in the U21s and U19s and other junior structures.”
This is a big cause for concern, he continued, because many talented prospects disappear in the system or are grabbed by other unions with Border not knowing that such a player was ever in their structures.
In this regard, the relationship between all coaches at all levels at Border will be institutionalised.
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