Support will be key if the Border Bulldogs are to be brought back from the brink when they face the Hino Valke at the BCM Stadium in Currie Cup qualification action tomorrow night.
East London's premier rugby side is in the middle of a slump following their high-flying start to the season and have lost their last four games on the trot, with them slipping into the bottom half of the log.
“We as a coaching staff are very supportive of the team, but what we need is for the supporters to come out and back the players as well,” explained Bulldogs coach Elliot Fana.
“When the team is down they look to their supporters to give them a lift, which is what we are looking for on Friday.
“We need to strike that balance between when the team is doing well, like they were at the start of the season and now when they are battling, and we need that support to stick with us throughout.”
Border will head into the crunch match with five changes to the side that lost against the Griffons in Welkom in their last outing.
Captain Siya Mdaka will not be available for personal reasons, while at hooker and prop a bench switch sees last week’s starters Yanga Xakalashe and Mihlali Mpafi drop to the bench allowing for the return of Blake Kyd and Ludwe Booi.
In the backline flyhalf Thembani Mkokeli drops out of the match 22 with Oliver Zono taking his place and wing Siphosenkosi Nofemele swaps places with Makazole Mapimpi who drops to the bench.
“Our captain Siya Mdaka has a family issue, so we have allowed him to be off this weekend and Billy Dutton, who has been in our set-up for a long time will be taking his place at flank,” said Fana.
“For our other players it is basically horses for courses with our wing Nofemele, who has shown a lot of hunger coming in for Mapimpi, while at flyhalf we are looking to play a different game to the one we did last week so Oliver Zono is back and he brings an extra dimension to the game.
“In the forwards Blake Kyd will also be back in after we gave him a rest last week, he has been fantastic for us this year and he will captain the side, which he has done before and being a quality leader I believe he can get the best out of the team.”
The Valke themselves are also languishing in the bottom half of the log, one place below the Bulldogs and with both teams needing a good win to give them some confidence and a chance to build momentum it should make for an enthralling match. The game kicks off at 7pm tomorrow, with Border U20s taking on the Valke U20s in a 4pm curtain-raiser.
Bulldogs: Blake Kyd (capt); Ludwe Booi, Johannes Jonker, Lindokuhle Welemu, Wandile Putuma; Lukhanyo Nomzanga, Billy Dutton; Nkosikhona Nofuma, Bangi Kobese, Oliver Zono, Mike Makase, Lunga Dumezweni, Lundi Ralarala, Sipho Nofemele, Masixole Banda. Reserves: Mihlali Mpafi, Yanga Xakalashe, Athi Khethani, Johannes Janse van Rensburg, Zukisani Tywaleni, Makazole Mapimpi and Logan Basson.
Big firestorm for Bulldogs
East London's premier rugby side is in the middle of a slump following their high-flying start to the season and have lost their last four games on the trot, with them slipping into the bottom half of the log.
“We as a coaching staff are very supportive of the team, but what we need is for the supporters to come out and back the players as well,” explained Bulldogs coach Elliot Fana.
“When the team is down they look to their supporters to give them a lift, which is what we are looking for on Friday.
“We need to strike that balance between when the team is doing well, like they were at the start of the season and now when they are battling, and we need that support to stick with us throughout.”
Border will head into the crunch match with five changes to the side that lost against the Griffons in Welkom in their last outing.
Captain Siya Mdaka will not be available for personal reasons, while at hooker and prop a bench switch sees last week’s starters Yanga Xakalashe and Mihlali Mpafi drop to the bench allowing for the return of Blake Kyd and Ludwe Booi.
In the backline flyhalf Thembani Mkokeli drops out of the match 22 with Oliver Zono taking his place and wing Siphosenkosi Nofemele swaps places with Makazole Mapimpi who drops to the bench.
“Our captain Siya Mdaka has a family issue, so we have allowed him to be off this weekend and Billy Dutton, who has been in our set-up for a long time will be taking his place at flank,” said Fana.
“For our other players it is basically horses for courses with our wing Nofemele, who has shown a lot of hunger coming in for Mapimpi, while at flyhalf we are looking to play a different game to the one we did last week so Oliver Zono is back and he brings an extra dimension to the game.
“In the forwards Blake Kyd will also be back in after we gave him a rest last week, he has been fantastic for us this year and he will captain the side, which he has done before and being a quality leader I believe he can get the best out of the team.”
The Valke themselves are also languishing in the bottom half of the log, one place below the Bulldogs and with both teams needing a good win to give them some confidence and a chance to build momentum it should make for an enthralling match. The game kicks off at 7pm tomorrow, with Border U20s taking on the Valke U20s in a 4pm curtain-raiser.
Bulldogs: Blake Kyd (capt); Ludwe Booi, Johannes Jonker, Lindokuhle Welemu, Wandile Putuma; Lukhanyo Nomzanga, Billy Dutton; Nkosikhona Nofuma, Bangi Kobese, Oliver Zono, Mike Makase, Lunga Dumezweni, Lundi Ralarala, Sipho Nofemele, Masixole Banda. Reserves: Mihlali Mpafi, Yanga Xakalashe, Athi Khethani, Johannes Janse van Rensburg, Zukisani Tywaleni, Makazole Mapimpi and Logan Basson.
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