Border U21 will have only one thing in mind when they take on their EP Kings counterparts in the Absa relegation-promotion playoffs final tomorrow.
Survival and maintaining their A-division status will definitely be their prime focus when they host their provincial rivals at the Buffalo City Stadium.
This is the view of the junior Border Bulldogs coach Lumumba Currie as his charges gear up for the fight of their lives.
The two teams met last year in similar fashion in a relegation-promotion playoff tussle in which the Border emerged victorious in what was a closely contested encounter at the same venue.
This season though, Border were the whipping boys of the A-division, losing all 12 games played and EP Kings will be looking to capitalise on this poor form.
The Port Elizabeth outfit, on the other side will be brimming with confidence after they achieved an unblemished record in seven games played in the B-division and topped the league to qualify for the playoffs.
Currie believes Kings’ good showing does not guarantee them a win against his struggling side, adding that the deciding factor “will be who wants it the most”. But Currie believes his boys are well prepared and ready to take the fight to the Kings as long as they do what needs to be done to win a match of this nature.
“So far I must say we are fully prepared for the tough battle awaiting us, we’ve been hard at training and the boys look positive and ready to rock the boat,” said a confident Currie. Border will not change their starting lineup nor their tactics but Currie admitted that they will have to improve in the scrums, a department he believes was their downfall throughout the 2014 season.
He elaborated: “Look, we will not change anything except working on what we believe needed to be addressed. Our scrumming in particular was not up to standard and we were inconsistent in this department of the game but we are working on it and I am positive on Friday we will do much better.”
According to Currie, physically, they can match the Kings as the two teams’ players are more or less the same size but conceded Kings had experienced players at their disposal which could prove to be the difference. Also, Currie knows the danger posed by Kings quick backline but he has a strategy to neutralise it.
“One can only expect lightening from their backs but the plan is for us to dominate the collisions. We will not allow them to have the ball when charging forward because that’s where their strength is at, they would rather have it moving backwards,” he said.
Losing tomorrow was not an option, said Currie, as it would be a tragedy for Border to play in the B-division. He added that their poor run in the 2014 season gave them strength to strive to do better next season. If Border lose, they will be relegated to the B-division, making way for Kings to occupy their space in the A-division.
The kick-off is 6pm and entry is free.
Currie favours Border to be too hot for Kings
Survival and maintaining their A-division status will definitely be their prime focus when they host their provincial rivals at the Buffalo City Stadium.
This is the view of the junior Border Bulldogs coach Lumumba Currie as his charges gear up for the fight of their lives.
The two teams met last year in similar fashion in a relegation-promotion playoff tussle in which the Border emerged victorious in what was a closely contested encounter at the same venue.
This season though, Border were the whipping boys of the A-division, losing all 12 games played and EP Kings will be looking to capitalise on this poor form.
The Port Elizabeth outfit, on the other side will be brimming with confidence after they achieved an unblemished record in seven games played in the B-division and topped the league to qualify for the playoffs.
Currie believes Kings’ good showing does not guarantee them a win against his struggling side, adding that the deciding factor “will be who wants it the most”. But Currie believes his boys are well prepared and ready to take the fight to the Kings as long as they do what needs to be done to win a match of this nature.
“So far I must say we are fully prepared for the tough battle awaiting us, we’ve been hard at training and the boys look positive and ready to rock the boat,” said a confident Currie. Border will not change their starting lineup nor their tactics but Currie admitted that they will have to improve in the scrums, a department he believes was their downfall throughout the 2014 season.
He elaborated: “Look, we will not change anything except working on what we believe needed to be addressed. Our scrumming in particular was not up to standard and we were inconsistent in this department of the game but we are working on it and I am positive on Friday we will do much better.”
According to Currie, physically, they can match the Kings as the two teams’ players are more or less the same size but conceded Kings had experienced players at their disposal which could prove to be the difference. Also, Currie knows the danger posed by Kings quick backline but he has a strategy to neutralise it.
“One can only expect lightening from their backs but the plan is for us to dominate the collisions. We will not allow them to have the ball when charging forward because that’s where their strength is at, they would rather have it moving backwards,” he said.
Losing tomorrow was not an option, said Currie, as it would be a tragedy for Border to play in the B-division. He added that their poor run in the 2014 season gave them strength to strive to do better next season. If Border lose, they will be relegated to the B-division, making way for Kings to occupy their space in the A-division.
The kick-off is 6pm and entry is free.
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