Police plan to give it best shot

Second-placed Police are on a mission to continue their winning run this weekend in the Border Super League.

The side are preparing to host the Nashua Old Boys at Police Park on Saturday, and coach Fergus Kennedy aims to field his best squad as he wants to finish on a high note. They are coming off a stunning 21-8 away win against Komani-based Breakers at Mlungisi Stadium.

“I’m just glad we managed to get a win against Breakers, because our preparations that week went well. As you know we were off for like two weeks and also we had to bring in many new players as well because of the injuries we had,” said Kennedy.

“The thing with club rugby is that you struggle to get the same players in the field every weekend, because you are sitting with guys that are working.

“And you can’t force them to come out to training and games because they are not getting paid by the club. Plus they also have family issues too, and I think that’s the major issue and I think that’s where Swallows have had the upperhand.

“Because they are practising together day in, day out, which means they can easily form that connection and combinations and it works well for them, and for us it’s a struggle.”

Kennedy said they were fairly confident going into their last game of the league.

“We’ve got most of our players back. Maybe it’s two or three that are not going to be there. So we want to field our strongest possible side and see if we can’t get maximum points against Old Boys.

“We are chasing Gold Cup playoffs, so that is our aim right now.”

He said they were going to now start preparing for the President’s Cup.

“Those are the top eight teams of the Super league and top eight of the Premier League.

“We are hoping to reach the Gold Cup which Swallows, who are currently at the summit of the logstandings, have already qualified for.

“But we have to go to the playoffs in order to qualify for Gold Cup, which means we have to play the second-placed teams in other provinces.

“But we have to make it point that we collect all maximum points this weekend before we can plan ahead.”

The league was scheduled to see its last games of the 2017-18 season played throughout the Border region on Saturday but that will not be the case.

The Super League’s number one team Swallows, who have been unbeaten all season, were scheduled to lock horns with the University of Fort Hare, but the tertiary institution postponed the match due to the ongoing strike.

But it was unlikely that Yongama Mkaza’s charges would take to the pitch after the tragic accident this past weekend near Breidbach, which took the lives of Swallows captain Mzwandile Yalezo, his teammate Onke Gqadushea as well as Bulldogs logistics manager Tyron Roberts.

Thursday will see a joint memorial service taking place at the King William’s Town Hall at 1pm to honour the three Swallows stalwarts.