Same firm for battle of wits for Bulldogs
AFTER a week’s break the Border Bulldogs rugby team get back down to business with their second match of the Currie Cup First Division when they host the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias at the BCM Stadium on Friday evening.
They have kept faith with most of the side that agonisingly went down 26-24 to the Leopards in their opening match of the competition a week and a half ago, with just two changes being made to the forward pack, one which was enforced while the second was rotational.
“Our change at prop is purely rotational, Jonker takes a break this weekend, while we bring in Phumlani Blaauw who hasn't played that much rugby this year but we would like to see how far his developments have come,” said Border Bulldogs coach Elliot Fana.
“At eighthman we have a forced change with Athi Manentsa out with a foot injury and his replacement Nkosikona Nofuma was also injured in the same game against the Leopards.
“So Janse van Rensburg steps in and he is a very capable youngster, he adds an extra dimension to our pack with his lineout ability and he has a very high workrate which is good.”
In the Leopards match Border missed out on what would have been a really good away win and a top start to the competition with flyhalf Masixole Banda's place-kicking proving costly after a few misses.
It was however an encouraging performance as they pushed the tournament defending champions all the way and almost came back with a famous scalp.
“On the day we were not spot-on with our kicking for the polls which cost us and we missed out on a big opportunity there,” admitted Fana.
“But having said that we have learnt from our mistakes and we want to make amends against the Namibians on Friday, we cannot dwell on what has happened in the past and we must now just be ready for the next match.”
The Welwitschias have lost the opening two games of the season so far, 54-23 against South Western Districts and then 54-42 against the Leopards over the past weekend so they will be very eager to get a win.
However the Bulldogs should be confident of getting their campaign on track with a win as the teams met each other in the Currie Cup qualifiers at the start of last month in Windhoek where the Bulldogs recovered from a slow start to power away to a thumping 76-18 win.
With them playing at home this time around they should be aiming to get a good result in front of their home fans.
Border Bulldogs: Blake Kyd; Mihlali Mpafi, Phumlani Blaauw, Lindokuhle Welemu, Hendri Storm; Onke Dubase, Siya Mdaka (capt); Johannes Janse van Rensburg, Sinovuyo Nyoka, Masixole Banda, Makazole Mapimpi, Lunga Dumezweni, Lundi Ralarala, Siphosenkosi Nofemele and Sonwabiso Mqalo. Reserves: Mbeko Kota, Yanga Xakalashe, Siyamthanda Ngande, Sokuphumla Xakalashe, Athenkosi Khetani, Bangi Kobese and Oliver Zono.