The East London Old Selbornians rugby club are fired up ahead of the start of the Gold Cup 2016 when they take on defending champions Durbanville-Bellville in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Old Boys, as the East London outfit is affectionately known, are brimming with confidence having been the only side to defeat the Cape Town side last year in this very competition, which was then known as the Community Cup.
Old Boys coach David McCallum said he had a full complement in his squad, which he hoped would repeat their heroics by emerging victors against the defending champs once again.
Their overall objectives for this year’s edition though was to improve on their previous performance when they won two matches and lost two.
And McCallum is confident this is a target they can achieve, as long as they win both their two home matches and snatch one of three in the round-robin stages, which may be good enough to fire them to the knockout stages.
In their group, the Old Boys are grouped with Bellville, College Rovers rugby club of KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape’s Worcester Villagers and Welkom Rovers of the Free State.
If they get past Bellville on Saturday, they will be in pole position to finish tops if not second to Villagers, who are another strong WC side.
McCallum say they would take it one game at a time but they were ready to rock the boat.
“It has been a long season for us but we are ready and all players are fit and roaring to go.
“Since the closing of the domestic season, we have been engaged in a lot of activities to keep fit and maintain the energy levels.”
The coach also believes that having beaten Bellville last year, it eases pressure on them ahead of the Saturday clash.
“Last year’s result is definitely a confidence booster for us but we are aware that we are up against the defending champions and it will not be easy.
“And we are not playing just any defending champs, but from the Western Cape where the nature of club rugby is highly competitive, with teams playing week in and week out.”
Meanwhile, East London Police rugby club, who are the second Buffalo City side to have qualified for the Gold Cup, will only kick-start their campaign next weekend at home against Belaz Sishen.
Old Boys eyes knockout spot
The Old Boys, as the East London outfit is affectionately known, are brimming with confidence having been the only side to defeat the Cape Town side last year in this very competition, which was then known as the Community Cup.
Old Boys coach David McCallum said he had a full complement in his squad, which he hoped would repeat their heroics by emerging victors against the defending champs once again.
Their overall objectives for this year’s edition though was to improve on their previous performance when they won two matches and lost two.
And McCallum is confident this is a target they can achieve, as long as they win both their two home matches and snatch one of three in the round-robin stages, which may be good enough to fire them to the knockout stages.
In their group, the Old Boys are grouped with Bellville, College Rovers rugby club of KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape’s Worcester Villagers and Welkom Rovers of the Free State.
If they get past Bellville on Saturday, they will be in pole position to finish tops if not second to Villagers, who are another strong WC side.
McCallum say they would take it one game at a time but they were ready to rock the boat.
“It has been a long season for us but we are ready and all players are fit and roaring to go.
“Since the closing of the domestic season, we have been engaged in a lot of activities to keep fit and maintain the energy levels.”
The coach also believes that having beaten Bellville last year, it eases pressure on them ahead of the Saturday clash.
“Last year’s result is definitely a confidence booster for us but we are aware that we are up against the defending champions and it will not be easy.
“And we are not playing just any defending champs, but from the Western Cape where the nature of club rugby is highly competitive, with teams playing week in and week out.”
Meanwhile, East London Police rugby club, who are the second Buffalo City side to have qualified for the Gold Cup, will only kick-start their campaign next weekend at home against Belaz Sishen.
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