Border Bulldogs

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Border Bulldogs
Logo Border Bulldogs.svg
Full nameBorder Bulldogs
UnionBorder Rugby Union
Emblem(s)Bulldog
Founded1891
RegionEastern third of the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Ground(s) Buffalo City Stadium (Capacity: 16,000)
Director of RugbyDavid Dobela
Coach(es)David Dobela
Captain(s)Onke Dubase
League(s) Currie Cup First Division
2022 Finals: DNQ
10th on log
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Team kit
Official website
www.borderbulldogs.co.za
Rugby football current event.svg Current season

The Border Bulldogs is a South African professional rugby union team based in East London that participates in the annual Currie Cup competitions. They are governed by the Border Rugby Union (BRU).

Contents

History

The Border Rugby Football Union governs rugby in the eastern third of the Eastern Cape province, including two former homelands, Transkei and Ciskei. The team is based in East London and play at the Buffalo City Stadium. They form part of the Southern Kings Super Rugby franchise.

Border were one of the founding members of the Currie Cup, having been established in 1891, but have only won the prestigious competition twice, in 1932 and 1934. They also won the Vodacom Shield in 2003.

In 1995, following the introduction professionalism in rugby, the team adopted the nickname the Bulldogs. The team have struggled since they were relegated to the Currie Cup First Division in 2000, never being promoted to the Premier Division. They average crowds of 3,500 to Currie Cup first division games, however they can attract much larger crowds when they take on their fiercest and closest rivals, the Eastern Province Elephants.

In-fighting and financial crisis

In 2013, a dispute arose between the Border Rugby Union and the Border Rugby (Pty) Ltd, the professional arm of the BRFU which administers the Bulldogs. The dispute was in relation to a perceived lack of transformation at the Bulldogs, who claimed local amateur black players were not good enough for the professional side. As a result, in June of that year, the BRFU refused to release any of their club players to play for the Bulldogs. [1] In September and October, television broadcasting money paid by SARU to the BRFU was not given to the Bulldogs, resulting in players' salaries not being paid, coach Paul Flanagan leaving and the Border Academy being shut down. [2] At the start of 2014, the BRFU announced that it was bankrupt. [3] In March 2014, the South African Rugby Union withdrew their financial support due to a lack of audited financial records. [4] It culminated in the South African Rugby Union taking control of the team's financial and administrative affairs in December 2014, with the intention of handing control back to BRFU officials once the situation has been normalised. [5]

Honours

Current squad

The following players were included in the Border Bulldogs squad for the 2022 Currie Cup First Division: [6]

Border Bulldogs Currie Cup squad

Props

  • Flag of South Africa.svg Sithhembiso Adonisi
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Ntsika Daka
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Cole Haggard
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Siba Mnkani
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Edwin Nxumalo
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Sinesipho Puzi
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Kuhle Seteni

Hookers

  • Flag of South Africa.svg Mkhonto Caku-Caku
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Vuyisani Mavuso

Locks

  • Flag of South Africa.svg Phila Layiti
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Azola Mati
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Asekho Marubelela
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Likho Ndiyalwa
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Miyelane Ngobeni
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Ayabonga Nomboyo

Loose forwards

  • Flag of South Africa.svg Chuma Biyana
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Hugo Bronkhorst
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Onke Dubase
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Sokhana Mpemba
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Yamkela Mzozoyana
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Lukhanyo Siyobi (c)
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Esethu Zenani

Scrum-halves

  • Flag of South Africa.svg Lwazi Madiba
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Edwin Mcaphukana
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Anele Zweni

Fly-halves

  • Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Keith Chiwara
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Lwandile Mapuko
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Simamnkele Yafele

Centres

  • Flag of South Africa.svg Migcobo Bovu
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Lelethu Gcilitshane
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Soso Matyoyi
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Mihlali Nchukana
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Edwin Nxumalo

Wingers

  • Flag of South Africa.svg Lutho Adonis
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Sakhe Dingile
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Sipho Nofemele
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Yakha Qinela
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Sicelo Tole

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Border rugby in civil war". SA Rugby Mag. 24 June 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  2. ↑ "Border crisis hits players hard". SA Rugby Mag. 13 November 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Bankrupt BRFU can't pay staff". Daily Dispatch. 16 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Border rugby cars repossessed". Dispatch Live. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  5. ↑ "SARU takes administrative control of Border's affairs". South African Rugby Union. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "Border squad". SA Rugby. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
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