Bulldogs duo off to Kings terrain
THE backbone of the Border Bulldogs – wing Makazole Mapimpi and fullback and flyhalf Masixole Banda – are off to bigger things.
This as the duo join the Southern Kings for next year’s Super Rugby season on loan. Border Rugby Union (BRU) director of rugby, Dumisani Mhani described the duo’s capture by the Kings as the best thing for their career advancement.
Not only that but Kings too had scored big with the arrival of Banda and Mapimpi.
The duo, who contributed majority of tries scored by Border this season will be looking to add some steam into the steamless Kings.
“If there is anyone deserving to be playing in the Super Rugby, it is Banda and Mapimpi and this break could not have come at a better time for the two,” said Mhani.
“Here you talk about two of the most talented individuals who have come of age and contributed a great deal to what was a good season for Border.
“They are without a doubt a starting 15 material and they would walk into my Super Rugby side was I a coach of one. In fact, they would make my team selection job easy because I would have to worry about only 13 positions as their selection would be a given.”
To this end, BRU was not surprised at their inclusion to the Kings squad with Mhani saying it came at a perfect time for their star to shine even further.
“I am excited it did not come last season because now the two have gone through a complete player-development phase and are in top form and ready for the big league,” he said.
“This is their time and I have no doubt they will make their mark and will be among the players to watch in the 2017 Super Rugby season.”
Banda was Bulldog’s top tryand point-scorer in the Currie Cup First Division Campaign this season while Mapimpi was their try-scoring machine during the Currie Cup qualifiers.
Banda, who was bouncing between fullback and flyhalf for Border single-handedly contributed 97 points, and 30 of which courtesy of tries.
For his heroics, he was the competition’s second highest tryscorer while he came in third on overall points by an individual player.
These stats earned him a welldeserved Player of the Year award in the competition.
Mapimpi, this very year in the qualifiers, was just unstoppable as he crossed the try-line a whopping 13 times, by so doing being the second on the try-scoring charts in the competition, just three behind Griffons fullback Selvyn Davids.
Two more Border players have clinched Super Rugby contracts in the form of Ntabeni Dukisa and Wandile Putuma while Onke Dubase is still on trial. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za