By ZINGISA MVUMVU
The Border Bulldogs have every reason to win tonight’s final Currie Cup qualifying encounter against Free State, even though they have failed to qualify to compete in the Premier Division.
This was said by Border captain Currie Cup, who believes the East London side should use the clash to shape up for their First Division campaign, which starts in two weeks.
The two sides meet at Buffalo City Stadium in East London tonight at 7pm.
According to Kyd, a win would ensure Border remain in high spirits going into the First Division season.
“It has been a good campaign for us in the qualifiers, with considerable progress from where we were in previous years, but unfortunately the results did not go our way.
“Therefore, it is important that we finish on a high, which will inspire us our First Division campaign,” said Kyd.
Indeed, a lot will be expected from Border in the First Division, where victories will be there for the taking without the likes of Griquas and Boland Kavaliers, who are guaranteed promotion to the Premier Division.
The fact that the other teams who make up the First Division did not show smoke in the qualifiers is further inspiration for Border to do well in the domestic second tier.
Those teams are the likes of South Western Districts and the Valke, who have been average sides.
But Border should prove their mettle today against Free State, a side that will be out for blood.
Both the Bulldogs and Free State are relatively young sides, especially the latter, which should set the stage for an entertaining match of flamboyant, running rugby.
Winning is paramount to both sides, who are still licking their wounds, having suffered defeat in their previous matches.
Border went down 52-26 against Western Province, while Free State went down 24-17 at home by a rampant Boland.
The home side will be looking to test the recently established combination of seasoned campaigner Sinovuyo Nyoka and Masixole Banda at flyhalf and scrumhalf.
The opposition in turn will be counting on Banda and Nyoka’s opposite numbers – Zee Mkhabela and Daren Barron – to steer them towards victory.
Border should use this match to learn how to make better use of homeground advantage, after going down left, right and centre in their own backyard.
Elsewhere in the qualifiers this weekend, 13th-placed Valke welcome second-from-the-bottom EP Kings at Kempton Park this afternoon.
Not much is expected from these two sides; both are playing poor rugby, with their log positions telling the story.
Also tonight, Leopards host Griquas at Olen Park in Potchefstroom, while Cell C Sharks travel to SWD Eagles in George for another clash of the weak sides in the 2016 campaign.
Three matches will bring the 2016 qualifiers to an end tomorrow. Down Touch Griffons welcome the Pumas in Welkom at 2pm, Boland will then lock horns with the Golden Lions at Grabouw High School an hour later, and the whipping boys of the season, Windhoek Draught Welwitschias, host top-of-the-table Western Province in Windhoek.
Border to pull all the strings
The Border Bulldogs have every reason to win tonight’s final Currie Cup qualifying encounter against Free State, even though they have failed to qualify to compete in the Premier Division.
This was said by Border captain Currie Cup, who believes the East London side should use the clash to shape up for their First Division campaign, which starts in two weeks.
The two sides meet at Buffalo City Stadium in East London tonight at 7pm.
According to Kyd, a win would ensure Border remain in high spirits going into the First Division season.
“It has been a good campaign for us in the qualifiers, with considerable progress from where we were in previous years, but unfortunately the results did not go our way.
“Therefore, it is important that we finish on a high, which will inspire us our First Division campaign,” said Kyd.
Indeed, a lot will be expected from Border in the First Division, where victories will be there for the taking without the likes of Griquas and Boland Kavaliers, who are guaranteed promotion to the Premier Division.
The fact that the other teams who make up the First Division did not show smoke in the qualifiers is further inspiration for Border to do well in the domestic second tier.
Those teams are the likes of South Western Districts and the Valke, who have been average sides.
But Border should prove their mettle today against Free State, a side that will be out for blood.
Both the Bulldogs and Free State are relatively young sides, especially the latter, which should set the stage for an entertaining match of flamboyant, running rugby.
Winning is paramount to both sides, who are still licking their wounds, having suffered defeat in their previous matches.
Border went down 52-26 against Western Province, while Free State went down 24-17 at home by a rampant Boland.
The home side will be looking to test the recently established combination of seasoned campaigner Sinovuyo Nyoka and Masixole Banda at flyhalf and scrumhalf.
The opposition in turn will be counting on Banda and Nyoka’s opposite numbers – Zee Mkhabela and Daren Barron – to steer them towards victory.
Border should use this match to learn how to make better use of homeground advantage, after going down left, right and centre in their own backyard.
Elsewhere in the qualifiers this weekend, 13th-placed Valke welcome second-from-the-bottom EP Kings at Kempton Park this afternoon.
Not much is expected from these two sides; both are playing poor rugby, with their log positions telling the story.
Also tonight, Leopards host Griquas at Olen Park in Potchefstroom, while Cell C Sharks travel to SWD Eagles in George for another clash of the weak sides in the 2016 campaign.
Three matches will bring the 2016 qualifiers to an end tomorrow. Down Touch Griffons welcome the Pumas in Welkom at 2pm, Boland will then lock horns with the Golden Lions at Grabouw High School an hour later, and the whipping boys of the season, Windhoek Draught Welwitschias, host top-of-the-table Western Province in Windhoek.
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