A lethal performance from the Border Bulldogs saw them crush the visiting Windhoek Draught Welwitschias 61-7 in their Currie Cup First Division match up at the BCM Stadium in East London on Friday night.
The Bulldogs set the tone straight from the kick off, scoring in the first minute of the match and having their bonus point wrapped up by the 18th minute they then kicked on to a big win.
Flyhalf Masixole Banda contributed 21 points through his hot boot which slotted eight out of nine shots at goal and an impressive try, while a brace of tries to fullback Sonwabiso Mqalo and right wing Siphosenkosi Nofemele also contributed to the big scoreline.
The match started with the Bulldogs securing the ball straight from the kick off, spreading it wide quickly with Mqalo receiving the final pass on the left hand touch line and sprinting around to score under the polls, with Banda adding the extras for the perfect start.
In the sixth minute Border, back in the Welwitschias 22m, earned a penalty straight in front of the posts, but scrumhalf Sinovuyo Nyoka took a quick tap and caught the visitors’ defence napping to run under the polls untouched for a converted score.
The Bulldogs were now in the zone and had two chances to extend their lead but a knock on and then holding on close to the line allowed the Welwitschias to clear.
But the home side could not be denied and in the 17th minute on attack on the 22m, flank Onke Dubase received the ball, stepped inside a defender and sprinted over to the left of the polls, with the conversion putting them 21-0 up.
Straight from the kick-off Border attacked down the short side with captain and flank Siya Mdaka passing the ball to Nofemele on the 10m line in his own half, he then stepped the defence, brushed off a tackle and showed a great turn of spread to sprint away and score the bonus point try under the polls.
The Bulldogs were rampant and in the 22nd minute scored their fifth try as Mqalo slipped through a hole in the Welwitschias defence after joining the line well to score in the right hand corner and Banda converting for a 35-0 lead.
The Welwitschias then had their best phase of the match as they slowly worked their way into the Bulldogs 22m, going through the phases before from five metres out centre Lesley Klim received the ball at pace and forced his way through, stretching over the try line to dot down under the polls.
Flyhalf Eugene Jantjies added the extras for the Welwitschias’ only points of the match.
Bulldogs wing Makazole Mapimpi, playing in his 50th game, then scored the hosts’ sixth try of the half, hitting a gap at speed between the Welwitschias 10m and 22m, and motoring away to dive over.
At 42-7 up at the break the Bulldogs were cruising and a good try to flyhalf Banda four minutes into the second half saw him receive the ball on the Welwitschias 22m, chip over the defence and follow up to dot down in the left hand corner, with this his only missed kick of the match.
A scrappy period then ensued with both teams making a number of handling errors.
However the Bulldogs then wrapped up the game with two tries in the 61st and 64th minutes.
First a wonderful team try saw the Bulldogs go from their own 22m across the field with some great handling ending with replacement back Oliver Zono diving over next to the left hand uprights, followed by Nofemele scoring his second with an intercept try, running about 50 metres to score as the Welwitschias tried to attack on the half way.
The match then meandered to a close, with the only action seeing a red card given to Border replacement forward Soso Xakalashe for an ugly tip tackle on the full time hooter. – supersport.com
SCORERS
Border Bulldogs: Tries: Sonwabiso Mqalo, Sinovuyo Nyoka, Onke Dubase, Siphosenkosi Nofemele (2), Makazole Mapimpi, Masixole Banda, Oliver Zono. Conversions: Masixole Banda (8)
Windhoek Draught Welwitschias: Try: Lesley Klim. Conversion: Eugene Jantjies
