Bulldogs aim to salvage pride against Valke in last game of woeful season

The Border Bulldogs go into their last SA Cup match hoping to salvage some pride when they welcome the Valke at Police Park in KuGompo City on Saturday (3.30pm). With nothing to play for other than pride, the Bulldogs will conclude their woeful season, which has seen them losing all their matches, some by cricket scores, drawing criticism from local rugby circles. The SA Cup launched in 2024 has been a jinxed competition for the Border side, as it has never won a game, always finishing at the bottom of the log.

TheBulldogs are smarting from the 87-5 drubbing by the Toyota Cheetahs at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, which marked their second-biggest home loss afterthe 94-5 mauling by the Airlink Pumas at the same venue. The loss followed the 71-14 rout by provincial neighbours EP Elephants, which sparked calls for a change in the technical team, with the Border Rugby president Zuko Badli promising to take action behind the scenes. This led to speculation that the union had parted ways with head coach Dumisani Mhani, fuelled by his absence at the Cheetahs match, though it was attributed to a bout of flu.

Badli insisted that Mhani was still the head Bulldogs coach. “It is the first time I am hearing about these rumours because there was never any plan to part ways with him,” he said. “Mhani is still our coach, and we will negotiate all these challenges with him.” With their home venue yet to be resolved, the Bulldogs will be forced to take the game from Sisa Dukashe to Police Park, marking the third venue they will use after also hosting the SWD Eagles at the Hudson Park High School ground.

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Badli said the match had to be moved to Police Park due to a municipal strike which affected the Sisa Dukashe Stadium. “These are some of the challenges we need to contend with as we are homeless,” he said.

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