THE Border Bulldogs are in pole position for what could be their best Currie Cup First Division season in years after the East London-based provincial side thumped the Down Touch Griffons 41-24 at the Buffalo City Stadium Friday.
Border currently lie second in the log standings with 12 points from three matches with two wins and a loss. Border scored six tries to the Griffons’ two.
Even their head coach Elliot Fana who was under fire for the side’s poor results at the latter stages of the Currie Cup qualifiers was happy the Bulldogs are showing some bite.
“I am a pleased man on behalf of the players and I must say they should take the credit because we have shown some glimpses of producing results even during the qualifiers, but our downfall was our own errors,” said Fana. “But there has been improvements and the results show. For instance we hang on to the ball longer, we are doing something right at the rucks and we are on top of our game on the first phase ball.
“What matters the most to me, though, is the attitude of players and I am happy with it because my boys are just a lot of things right and everyone is taking responsibility for their functional role on the field.”
However, although Fana was all praises about his charges on a job well done, he is not entirely happy. According to him, Border still needed to improve in the lineouts and avoid mauls by opposition teams at all costs.
“In the first 10 minutes we had five lineouts and we lost three of those and that is bad because we can be punished severely against quality sides,” said Fana.
Fana is right because the Bulldogs have a tendency to drop their guard in the early stages of matches and immediately after the break. Against the Griffons they went to the break leading 24-14 but the score was 29-24 later.
While some already fancy the Bulldog’s chances of doing the unusual by finishing top or second of the First Division this season, Fana does not want to entertain the idea. “You do not win two matches out of three and start talking about a good season. We need not get ahead of ourselves.”
Scorers:
Bulldogs: Tries: Oliver Zono (2), Onke Dubase, Masixole Banda, Siphosenkosi Nofemele, Michael Makase. Conversions: Banda (4). Penalty: Banda.
Griffons: Tries: Gavin Annandale, Japie Nel. Conversion: George Whitehead. Penalties: Whitehead (4). l Pictures on page 15.
Bulldogs keep on showing their bite
Border currently lie second in the log standings with 12 points from three matches with two wins and a loss. Border scored six tries to the Griffons’ two.
Even their head coach Elliot Fana who was under fire for the side’s poor results at the latter stages of the Currie Cup qualifiers was happy the Bulldogs are showing some bite.
“I am a pleased man on behalf of the players and I must say they should take the credit because we have shown some glimpses of producing results even during the qualifiers, but our downfall was our own errors,” said Fana. “But there has been improvements and the results show. For instance we hang on to the ball longer, we are doing something right at the rucks and we are on top of our game on the first phase ball.
“What matters the most to me, though, is the attitude of players and I am happy with it because my boys are just a lot of things right and everyone is taking responsibility for their functional role on the field.”
However, although Fana was all praises about his charges on a job well done, he is not entirely happy. According to him, Border still needed to improve in the lineouts and avoid mauls by opposition teams at all costs.
“In the first 10 minutes we had five lineouts and we lost three of those and that is bad because we can be punished severely against quality sides,” said Fana.
Fana is right because the Bulldogs have a tendency to drop their guard in the early stages of matches and immediately after the break. Against the Griffons they went to the break leading 24-14 but the score was 29-24 later.
While some already fancy the Bulldog’s chances of doing the unusual by finishing top or second of the First Division this season, Fana does not want to entertain the idea. “You do not win two matches out of three and start talking about a good season. We need not get ahead of ourselves.”
Scorers:
Bulldogs: Tries: Oliver Zono (2), Onke Dubase, Masixole Banda, Siphosenkosi Nofemele, Michael Makase. Conversions: Banda (4). Penalty: Banda.
Griffons: Tries: Gavin Annandale, Japie Nel. Conversion: George Whitehead. Penalties: Whitehead (4). l Pictures on page 15.
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