Tom, Bangi add spark to Border backline

The Border Bulldogs main concern before the official start of the season was how the side was going to fare in two positions – scrumhalf and inside centre.

But the East London-based provincial outfit’s worries have been eased after Sethu Tom and Bangi Kobese were at the heart of Border’s gusty performance against the Golden Lions in the season’s Currie Cup opener on Friday.

Tom and Kobese are newcomers in the Border starting XV, taking the places of former Bulldogs players – Luk Am and Ntando Kebe, who are now both campaigning in Super Rugby in the colours of Southern Kings.

The new pairing – Tom and Kobese – were under pressure going into the Lions match for they had big shoes to fill and they rose up to the occasion with a splendid showing in what was a formidable overall team effort.

The former contributed a try while the latter, at scrumhalf for Bulldogs, dictated the pace of the match perfectly to the benefit of his side. Tom and Kobese were expected to take sometime fitting into the team having playing second fiddle in the past, but judging by their performance on Friday, they will be on the wanted list of the other financially stronger unions, who scout Border players.

Border coach Elliot Fana was impressed by both of them, although emphasising that it was too early to sing the praises of individual players after only a single match.

As far as Kobese was concerned, Fana said of their next match when Bulldogs host the Sharks on Friday night: “He is going to be influential by making our pack to have that extra urgency.

“In the past we were playing stop and start rugby which is easy to defend against quality opponents but with Bangi at scrumhalf, he does not give opposition time to think and realign their defensive structures, which is a big plus for us and makes our forwards to be extra committed in getting out to where the ball is.”

So impressive was Kobese in the confrontation with the Lions that Border did the unthinkable and played him the full 80 minutes – something not so popular in the modern game in that position.

Not only that but the scrumhalf with the quick service, had not played for a month before the Lions match, but still controlled the match like a seasoned conductor of an orchestra. Fana said the young Tom’s ball distribution and pace were a marvel to watch.

“He did reasonably well filling in the big shoes left by Luk Am, a player I highly rate,” Fana said.

Tom and Kobese are testament to the talent coming out of rugby schools in South Africa as the former attended Grey High in Bloemfontein, while the latter is a product of Dale College in King William’s Town.

“They were looked after very well in terms of their nurturing, development and enhancing of their performance,” Fana said.

“Now the stage belongs to them it is up to them what they do about it.”