Border Bulldogs coach Elliot Fana is concerned that his team is playing good rugby yet not winning matches.
This he said after Border recorded their ninth loss in 14 matches when they went down 22-18 to the Free State XV on Friday night.
This was a match the Bulldogs should have won with ease as the opposition fielded their U21 side.
According to Fana, that many losses are just “not good enough” for a professional side.
Fana was particularly unhappy that Border still struggle to stop mauls after they were bullied once again in this regard.
However, what consoled him is individual player growth although conceding that team effort needed to improve for Border to change their fortunes.
“We do not have a team of 15 stars but we have individual brilliance here and there which doesn’t help because we need more team effort than individual brilliance,” said Fana.
“The mauls, it remains a huge problem for us although we invested a lot of time working on it.
“But come First Division season, we will be ready and I must stress that there’s been a lot of progress in how we play compared to previous seasons.”
In Fana’s head, there were plenty of areas of play in which Bulldogs have improved this season.
Among them, he said, were good scrumming, line-ut wins, improved kick-offs and making good use of the ball.
“We can stand our ground against franchise unions.”
Fana though understands that it is the end result that counts, especially for Bulldogs fans who have been long- suffering with the unending failure to deliver by their team.
And Fana knows that the buck stops with him.
“We want results because coaches get judged by winning matches and not by enhancing player performance and inspiring player growth,” he said.
Indeed Fana and his technical team need some serious reflection to partake in before the start of the First Division season in two weeks’ time.
The individual player growth is a good thing but may cause problems for Border if they lose more players having already lost Wandile Putuma at lock who reports for duty at Griquas today ahead of the start of the Currie Cup Premier Division campaign.
Fana expressed concern that Border did not have capable replacement props and locks.
With Putuma, gone it means headaches for Fana and company who should pray that they do not lose more players.
“We have youngsters who still need to be developed to become star players which will give us results in the long run but it is unfortunate that we want the results now,” Fana remarked.
“We will, however, need to beef up here and there, especially props and locks because currently our guys playing in those positions play too many matches in physically-taxing positions.”
Free State coach MJ Smith was pleased with results and predicted a bright future for the Cheetahs if their U21 side can get the job done against a senior outfit such as the Bulldogs.
“We came here with our U21 side and this I must say was a gutsy performance by my boys against a tough Border,” said Smith.
Free State bulldozed their way to victory while Border let the match slip through their fingers having looked like they were in control during the match.
Scorers:
Border 18: Tries: Siphosenkosi Nofemele and Makazole Mapimpi.
Penalties: Masixole Banda (2). Conversion: Banda.
Free State XV 22:
Tries: Nardus Erasmus, Niel Raubenbach
Penalties: Gerrie Labuschagne (4) Conversions: Labuschagne.
Defeat a bitter pill for Bulldogs coach
This he said after Border recorded their ninth loss in 14 matches when they went down 22-18 to the Free State XV on Friday night.
This was a match the Bulldogs should have won with ease as the opposition fielded their U21 side.
According to Fana, that many losses are just “not good enough” for a professional side.
Fana was particularly unhappy that Border still struggle to stop mauls after they were bullied once again in this regard.
However, what consoled him is individual player growth although conceding that team effort needed to improve for Border to change their fortunes.
“We do not have a team of 15 stars but we have individual brilliance here and there which doesn’t help because we need more team effort than individual brilliance,” said Fana.
“The mauls, it remains a huge problem for us although we invested a lot of time working on it.
“But come First Division season, we will be ready and I must stress that there’s been a lot of progress in how we play compared to previous seasons.”
In Fana’s head, there were plenty of areas of play in which Bulldogs have improved this season.
Among them, he said, were good scrumming, line-ut wins, improved kick-offs and making good use of the ball.
“We can stand our ground against franchise unions.”
Fana though understands that it is the end result that counts, especially for Bulldogs fans who have been long- suffering with the unending failure to deliver by their team.
And Fana knows that the buck stops with him.
“We want results because coaches get judged by winning matches and not by enhancing player performance and inspiring player growth,” he said.
Indeed Fana and his technical team need some serious reflection to partake in before the start of the First Division season in two weeks’ time.
The individual player growth is a good thing but may cause problems for Border if they lose more players having already lost Wandile Putuma at lock who reports for duty at Griquas today ahead of the start of the Currie Cup Premier Division campaign.
Fana expressed concern that Border did not have capable replacement props and locks.
With Putuma, gone it means headaches for Fana and company who should pray that they do not lose more players.
“We have youngsters who still need to be developed to become star players which will give us results in the long run but it is unfortunate that we want the results now,” Fana remarked.
“We will, however, need to beef up here and there, especially props and locks because currently our guys playing in those positions play too many matches in physically-taxing positions.”
Free State coach MJ Smith was pleased with results and predicted a bright future for the Cheetahs if their U21 side can get the job done against a senior outfit such as the Bulldogs.
“We came here with our U21 side and this I must say was a gutsy performance by my boys against a tough Border,” said Smith.
Free State bulldozed their way to victory while Border let the match slip through their fingers having looked like they were in control during the match.
Scorers:
Border 18: Tries: Siphosenkosi Nofemele and Makazole Mapimpi.
Penalties: Masixole Banda (2). Conversion: Banda.
Free State XV 22:
Tries: Nardus Erasmus, Niel Raubenbach
Penalties: Gerrie Labuschagne (4) Conversions: Labuschagne.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos