Border women set early pace

Two rounds into the Rugby Women’s Interprovincial championship, defending champions Border continue to set the pace in the A Section of the competition as they remain the only unbeaten team.

Border, who secured a hat-trick of Women’s Interprovincial titles last season, kicked off the 2016 season with a 72-3 victory against SWD and built on this with a 27-3 win against KwaZulu-Natal at the Buffalo City Stadium last Saturday.

This is despite the endless challenges Border are facing and head coach Malibongwe “Shoes” Kradu has said although he was happy with the results, the performances were still not at the desired standard.

Among the challenges Kradu pointed out, it was impossible to get his players together for training during weekdays as they were scattered all over the province.

Furthermore, transporting players for training camps was a challenge due to a limited budget, as well as juggling work commitments.

“We only train on weekends and that affects the level of fitness of my players,” said Kradu.

“Hence I believe that although we remain the only undefeated side, performance-wise we are not where we should be.

“But because we cannot help the fact that our players are scattered all over the province, we always encourage them to join clubs in the areas they reside and push themselves at training.”

However, Kradu was brimming with confidence that his side will defend their crown with ease.

Indeed the Border team have no match. Their hat-trick of championship wins bears testimony to that.

They have also managed to keep almost the same squad that led them to their three years of glory.

Already Kradu is impressed by the likes of playmaker Zintle Mpupha, Lusanda Dumke – who plays at flank – Nosiphiwo Goda and fullback Eloise Webb after their contributions in the two matches played thus far this season.

Goda has crossed the tryline three times in two outings with Sindi Booi, Nwabisa Ngxatu and Dumke each having scored two tries.

Mpupha, with her educated boot, has been banging in penalties and conversions as Border cement their dominance in South African women’s rugby.

Border’s next game will be against their toughest opponents in the competition – Western Province – at the Buffalo City Stadium next Saturday in what is expected to be a thrilling encounter between the arch-rivals.

While Border maintained an unbeaten run in the A section, in the B Section the Limpopo Blue Bulls bounced back this past weekend from their round-one defeat, with a 19-15 victory against the Valke played at the NWU Vaal Rugby Club in Vanderbijlpark, while the Leopards kicked off their season with a resounding 53-10 victory against the Pumas in Potchefstroom.

Valke outscored the Limpopo Blue Bulls two tries to one in the first half for a 14-5 lead at the break.

Limpopo, however, fought back hard and finished the match with three tries, through centre Zintle James, wing Monica Mazibuko and flanker Makgethi Maleka, to match the Valke’s three tries.

However, two successful conversions by the visitors proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.