‘Mental approach’ will be key as side hunts first victory
THE Border Bulldogs will be gunning for their first win of the 2017 Currie Cup First Division competition when they take on the Boland Kavaliers at the Buffalo City Municipal Stadium this afternoon.
The Bulldogs have lost their opening two games of the season and know it is important to get one in the win column to gain momentum and lift the team spirit.
“I think that we have a chance to get our first win this weekend,” Bulldogs coach David Dobela said.
“Our mental side of the game will be important as the guys have to shrug off what happened over the last two weeks and look at this game as a fresh start.”
The Bulldogs have made 11 changes to their starting XV for the Kavaliers game, although eight of them have featured for the team in the last two games, while three will be playing their first game of this year’s competition.
The team will need to click from the get-go and win the physical exchanges and the battle up-front, which will be important if they want to get the victory.
“I think we need to man up and be physical in the tight exchanges and make sure that we make our tackles and tighten up our defence,” Dobela said.
“I think we have a very good back line, so it is going to be important for the forwards to lay a good platform for our backs to attack from and if we can keep hold of the ball for most of the game we will come out on top,” he added.
The Kavaliers started their season with a win over the EP Kings, but were comfortably defeated at home against the Leopards last weekend, so they will be eager to pick up a good win themselves.
However, the Bulldogs, who lost an exciting encounter against the Valke at home in their opening game, before being soundly beaten by the SWD Eagles last weekend, will be even more desperate for the win and will hope the home crowd will roar th
Before the Bulldogs and Kavaliers match kicks off, things get underway with a tasty curtain-raiser in the form of local rivals MPM Old Selbornians and Swallows kicking off their Gold Cup campaign.
Old Boys and Swallows have a fierce rivalry and with Old Boys having won the league and Swallows finishing runners-up as well as Old Boys only loss this season coming against Swallows, it will be the perfect way to get the day’s action under way.
“Having that game in the Gold Cup between Old Boys and Swallows in the Gold Cup before us will be good, it will get the crowd going and will be a nice boost for us,” Dobela said.
The Old Boys and Swallows match kicks off at 3pm, with the Bulldogs versus Kavaliers match following straight afterwards at 5pm.