One game at a time. That is the approach the Border Bulldogs will take when they return from a bye weekend to resume their Currie Cup-qualification campaign.
The Bulldogs managed to snap a four-game losing streak when they claimed a thoroughly deserved 29-24 win over the Hino Valke at the BCM Stadium on Friday night. This sees the team going into their off-weekend with four wins and four losses in their opening eight games.
“It’s a good break for us because we go away with a win,” Border Bulldogs coach Elliot Fana said.
“We will now go and assess where it went right and where it went wrong in the eight games we have played so far.”
Despite the morale-boosting win, Fana stressed the need for the team not to get carried away and to look no further than the next match, especially with a busy run into the end of the competition.
“We should focus on each and every game, take it game by game, because if we look too far ahead and set too lofty goals we will put unnecessary pressure on the players and coaching staff,” Fana said.
The Bulldogs had started the season with a bang with three top wins against the Lions, Sharks and the Kings that put them second on the log and looking dangerous.
However, they then crashed back to earth with losses against the Pumas, Griquas, Leopards and Griffons, that saw them slip to 10th on the 15-team table.
The bonus-point win against the Valke sees them move up one place to ninth, ahead of their next opponent, the South Western District Eagles, and this should make their meeting in George next week Friday all the more interesting.
The Bulldogs, however, will need to look at rectifying a few mistakes ahead of the match, especially soft moments on defence, which allowed the Valke to stay in the match and almost steal the win.
These defensive lapses have proven costly this season and will prove so again against the stronger teams if they are not shored up,” Fana said.
“We haven’t really played for 80 minutes very much this season, which is why I was happy with our comeback against the Valke, as it showed that the team are starting to play right through.
“Those soft moments only come when you take the foot off the pedal and the opposition pounces.
“So these are things we want to rectify and we are in a process of fixing them, but I must say that things are getting better every week.”
Following the Eagles game, Border will take on the Boland Cavaliers in East London on Thursday June 16, before taking another break.
These two games will thus be important in building towards the final four-game run which starts in July.
“When we come back, we will hopefully build on the little momentum we have built now and start building our confidence again,” Fana said.
“Things are definitely looking up for the Bulldogs. This is a very different side from what you have seen in previous years.”
Bulldogs regain their bite
The Bulldogs managed to snap a four-game losing streak when they claimed a thoroughly deserved 29-24 win over the Hino Valke at the BCM Stadium on Friday night. This sees the team going into their off-weekend with four wins and four losses in their opening eight games.
“It’s a good break for us because we go away with a win,” Border Bulldogs coach Elliot Fana said.
“We will now go and assess where it went right and where it went wrong in the eight games we have played so far.”
Despite the morale-boosting win, Fana stressed the need for the team not to get carried away and to look no further than the next match, especially with a busy run into the end of the competition.
“We should focus on each and every game, take it game by game, because if we look too far ahead and set too lofty goals we will put unnecessary pressure on the players and coaching staff,” Fana said.
The Bulldogs had started the season with a bang with three top wins against the Lions, Sharks and the Kings that put them second on the log and looking dangerous.
However, they then crashed back to earth with losses against the Pumas, Griquas, Leopards and Griffons, that saw them slip to 10th on the 15-team table.
The bonus-point win against the Valke sees them move up one place to ninth, ahead of their next opponent, the South Western District Eagles, and this should make their meeting in George next week Friday all the more interesting.
The Bulldogs, however, will need to look at rectifying a few mistakes ahead of the match, especially soft moments on defence, which allowed the Valke to stay in the match and almost steal the win.
These defensive lapses have proven costly this season and will prove so again against the stronger teams if they are not shored up,” Fana said.
“We haven’t really played for 80 minutes very much this season, which is why I was happy with our comeback against the Valke, as it showed that the team are starting to play right through.
“Those soft moments only come when you take the foot off the pedal and the opposition pounces.
“So these are things we want to rectify and we are in a process of fixing them, but I must say that things are getting better every week.”
Following the Eagles game, Border will take on the Boland Cavaliers in East London on Thursday June 16, before taking another break.
These two games will thus be important in building towards the final four-game run which starts in July.
“When we come back, we will hopefully build on the little momentum we have built now and start building our confidence again,” Fana said.
“Things are definitely looking up for the Bulldogs. This is a very different side from what you have seen in previous years.”
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