Border Rugby’s biggest club cup tournament, the Brutten Top Ten, will get under way this weekend at the Police Park grounds.
East London Police and Rising Stars, who were included in Pool B earlier in the week, will serve as the main event for a 4.45pm kickoff.
The competition was inaugurated in 2024 and serves to widen the pool of players for the Bulldogs.
It allows Bulldogs coaches to even look at the third tier of the union’s club structures as part of recruitment.
The Police and Stars fixture on paper is a David vs Goliath clash based on the levels of the teams.
Police are in the top-flight and Stars have just recently been promoted from First Division to the second-tier Premier League.
If you look at the group as a whole, it is well-established teams. We know it won’t be easy but we are not scared of them
“If you look at the group as a whole, it is well-established teams. We know it won’t be easy but we are not scared of them,” Stars captain Asenathi Xaluva said.
“We are confident in our systems and structure as the club. We have the momentum from the playoffs where we won all our games, the players mentally are prepared.
“We have been together as a team since the start of the year. When we planned our calendar, we anticipated that there was a possibility of playing in the Brutten.”
Police will be wary of the challenge and will not underestimate Stars.
This is because of their experience in the competition in 2024.
They struggled to make it past the pool stage and suffered shocking losses to teams that were below par in standard.
Even the likes of Lovedale, who were in a similar position to Stars, having been recently promoted from third tier, went toe-to-toe with them.
Eastern Cape Super 14 finalists Fort Beaufort United will play the WSU Eagles in the pre-main event game (3pm).
The Pool A fixtures serve as a dress rehearsal of what is expected in the 2026 Super League.
Eagles were recently promoted to the top-flight after they went unbeaten and were crowned champions in the Premier League.
FB United struggled in the Brutten in 2024 and will want to make their mark starting from the Eagles game.
Eagles campus buddies WSU All Blacks tussle the Berlin Tigers in another Pool A match at 1.15pm.
All Blacks captain Khanya Solani said they wanted to make their bid for the title from the first round.
“In 2024, we were knocked out in the semifinals, the boys were very disappointed because that loss against Fort Hare was close at the end,” Solani said.
“We want to get a convincing win from the first game so we have the confidence going to the other games in the group.”
The first game of the day at the venue in Cambridge will be at 11.30am between Buffalo Rugby and Komga United.
Komga United had a disappointing outing in 2024, while Buffs will be making their debut.
Daily Dispatch
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