Billy gives nod for timely rest
Hollywoodbets Swallows loose-forward Billy Dutton says having some time away from the pitch will yield good results for his side when the Border Super League starts next month.
Dutton and his teammates are on a two-week break after their good run in the Gold Cup tournament where they managed to reach the semifinals.
He said the time out was much needed after playing so many away games during the SA Rugby's flagship national championship for non-university clubs.
Dutton, who was Border Bulldogs captain, said although he had not fully analysed the fixtures of the season ahead or even started with their preparations for the league, he was confident they would maintain their competitiveness.
“We haven’t even had a chance to look at the fixtures for the new season. We’ve just been enjoying some time off to refresh and we’ve been training on our own, but after the Easter holiday we’ll get back to our normal duties as Swallows.
“And that has helped keep us fit, because we don’t want to lose the momentum we got from the Gold Cup going into the league,” said Dutton.
Swallows played one game at home during the Gold Cup and three away clashes before bowing out in the national club rugby tournament in the semifinals after they lost 47-24 to Durbanville-Bellville in Cape Town.
“It has been a tough one because we’ve been on the road since the Gold Cup started but we actually got used to being on the road. When the fixtures of the tournament came out we knew what to expect and we prepared ourselves for extensive travelling. So in terms of preparations we had a tough first two games.
“But as we moved ahead in the competition it became easier for us, we didn’t feel out of place and we had a number of supporters behind us t games.”
Dutton didn’t hesitate when asked who he expected to give them problems in the 2019 Super League season.
The time out was needed after so many away games
While he conceded it was going to be a very tough season he expected East London Police to be their strongest opponents.
EL Police recently won the Eastern Cape Super 12 competition, but Dutton knows it would be suicidal to disregard other teams.
“Obviously we can’t write-off other teams like Walter Sisulu University and Fort Hare because they’ve also had a good run in the Varsity Shield competition.
“So we can’t pinpoint who’s going to give us good competition this season we’ll have to wait and see, but definitely Police will be in the forefront of everything because they’ve won a cup competition.”