The current bunch of Border Bulldogs players will tonight be playing the biggest match of their lives and the question is can they handle the pressure?
This as the Bulldogs collide with Down Touch Griffons in the Currie Cup First Division semifinal tonight – a level Border last reached in 2004.
In fact, the current generation of Bulldogs players have, in the majority, been part of the setup for only three years and in the previous season reaching the knock-out stages of the competition seemed mission impossible as they finished last.
Tonight is the night for Border to prove that their unprecedented good run in more than a decade was no fluke and come out tops in this all-important match and advance to the final.
This will be the second meeting between the two this month, with Border having annihilated the Free State side on September 2, coming out 41-24 victors.
But according to Bulldogs head coach Elliot Fana, the biggest mistake his charges could commit is to judge their foes based on the September 2 match outcome.
Because if they do that, Border run the risk of receiving their biggest surprise of the year – being humiliated by the Griffons.
Fana cautioned: “It will come down to execution and the team that can absorb pressure.
“The pressure is on us and we dare not take our feet off the pedals otherwise opportunities will be missed and we cannot afford that to happen,” he said.
“What will be paramount for us is not to be overconfident because we beat the Griffons not long ago. If anything, we need to forget about that match and approach this as a new challenge as though we are playing them for the very first time.”
The coach is confident that his side understand what is at stake.
This after they displayed maturity in their mental fitness throughout the season with four victories in succession without cracking from the pressure that came with achieving such an incredible feat.
“In a game of this nature, things do not just happen on their own. With that said, should we come out all guns blazing, we will come right. But should we focus on what happened in the past, we may be found wanting,” said Fana.
“But to have reached this stage of the competition speaks volumes of our mental toughness and that is a big plus for us.”
Should Border win, their next task will be to prepare for the final in which they will play either the Leopards or Valke who meet in another semifinal at 5pm this evening.
Should they lose, that will be it for Border this season and the Border Rugby Union will worry about the number of players they are likely to lose next season to franchise unions.
This newspaper understands that no less than seven players have attracted the attention of franchise unions such as the Lions and the Blue Bulls.
In fact all Saru unions are expected to be butting heads flocking towards East London hoping to beat each other to the signatures of Border players.
Bulldogs starting XV:
15 Masixole Banda, 14 Sipho Nofemele, 13 Lundi Rala-rala, 12 Lunga Dumezweni, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Oliver Zono, 9 Bangi Kobese, 8 Johannes Janse van Rensburg, 7 Siya Mdaka, 6 Onke Dubase, 5 Hendri Storm, 4 Lindokuhle Welemu, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Mihlali Mpafi and 1 Blake Kyd.
Replacements:
16 Mbeko Kota, 17 Siya Ngande, 18 Billy Dutton, 19 Luk Nomzanga, 20 Sino Nyoka, 21 Sipho Tom and 22 Sobz Mqalo.
Bulldogs ready to bite the Griffons
This as the Bulldogs collide with Down Touch Griffons in the Currie Cup First Division semifinal tonight – a level Border last reached in 2004.
In fact, the current generation of Bulldogs players have, in the majority, been part of the setup for only three years and in the previous season reaching the knock-out stages of the competition seemed mission impossible as they finished last.
Tonight is the night for Border to prove that their unprecedented good run in more than a decade was no fluke and come out tops in this all-important match and advance to the final.
This will be the second meeting between the two this month, with Border having annihilated the Free State side on September 2, coming out 41-24 victors.
But according to Bulldogs head coach Elliot Fana, the biggest mistake his charges could commit is to judge their foes based on the September 2 match outcome.
Because if they do that, Border run the risk of receiving their biggest surprise of the year – being humiliated by the Griffons.
Fana cautioned: “It will come down to execution and the team that can absorb pressure.
“The pressure is on us and we dare not take our feet off the pedals otherwise opportunities will be missed and we cannot afford that to happen,” he said.
“What will be paramount for us is not to be overconfident because we beat the Griffons not long ago. If anything, we need to forget about that match and approach this as a new challenge as though we are playing them for the very first time.”
The coach is confident that his side understand what is at stake.
This after they displayed maturity in their mental fitness throughout the season with four victories in succession without cracking from the pressure that came with achieving such an incredible feat.
“In a game of this nature, things do not just happen on their own. With that said, should we come out all guns blazing, we will come right. But should we focus on what happened in the past, we may be found wanting,” said Fana.
“But to have reached this stage of the competition speaks volumes of our mental toughness and that is a big plus for us.”
Should Border win, their next task will be to prepare for the final in which they will play either the Leopards or Valke who meet in another semifinal at 5pm this evening.
Should they lose, that will be it for Border this season and the Border Rugby Union will worry about the number of players they are likely to lose next season to franchise unions.
This newspaper understands that no less than seven players have attracted the attention of franchise unions such as the Lions and the Blue Bulls.
In fact all Saru unions are expected to be butting heads flocking towards East London hoping to beat each other to the signatures of Border players.
Bulldogs starting XV:
15 Masixole Banda, 14 Sipho Nofemele, 13 Lundi Rala-rala, 12 Lunga Dumezweni, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Oliver Zono, 9 Bangi Kobese, 8 Johannes Janse van Rensburg, 7 Siya Mdaka, 6 Onke Dubase, 5 Hendri Storm, 4 Lindokuhle Welemu, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Mihlali Mpafi and 1 Blake Kyd.
Replacements:
16 Mbeko Kota, 17 Siya Ngande, 18 Billy Dutton, 19 Luk Nomzanga, 20 Sino Nyoka, 21 Sipho Tom and 22 Sobz Mqalo.
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