Border Bulldogs head coach Dumisani Mhani says they will quickly pick up the pieces from their 48-22 loss to the SWD Eagles in the SA Cup at Outeniqua Park in George on Friday, writing it off as a “bad day at the office”.
The next Bulldogs game will be against the Griquas at home at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on Saturday, with memories of a 100-plus score still fresh in their minds.
To avoid a third successive defeat, Mhani says they will have to dig deep in training this week and work on the minor positives gathered from the game in George.
The George defeat was the second of the Bulldogs’ campaign but what was disappointing was that it was in total contrast to their showing in the opening round at Sisa Dukashe against the Griffons, where they even had a lead at half time.
“We had a very bad day at the office [on Friday]. We gave the match away. We were not committed at all,” Mhani acknowledged.
Many had predicted a tight contest between the teams, but this was not to be.
“We are in the same boat,” Mhani had said during his pregame comments, emphasising that the Eagles’ 70-plus defeat to professional team the Pumas the previous week was not a proper measure for them because of the difference in resources in the franchise.
Mhani would quickly swallow his view of the teams being level after the first 40 minutes as their Western Cape opponents took a 34-7 lead.
Stone Cloete, Mpho Ntsane, Dian Basson and Ethan Stuurman dotted in for the Eagles while Simthembile Zozi was the only answer for the Bulldogs.
In the second half, Sachin Toring scored twice, with the other try coming from Clive Kruger, while Kamvelihle Fatyela and Hlumelo Pantyo provided consolations for the Bulldogs.
“We missed tackles. There were too many dropped balls and we could not gather momentum; one or two players raised their hands,” Mhani said.
“SWD was not that much better than us, I felt.”
The Bulldogs cannot afford to have a bad day this Saturday as the Griquas already top the log standings with 10 points after picking up two bonus points over the Valke and the Leopards.
Kimberley-based team the Griquas picked up 60-plus scores — scary for Border who only have a point to their name and are eighth on the log.
Daily Dispatch
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