Two-time defending champions, the Bulls Daises, return to action this weekend after their mid-season break. The Tshwane ladies will take on the pride of the Eastern Cape, the 2020 Women’s Premier Division winners, Border.
The two will battle it out on Saturday, 01 March; kick-off is set for noon with tickets starting from R 100.00c from Ticketpro.
Daisies mentor, Hayden Groepes says the break was good for his squad that remained whilst half were on national duty at camp.
“It was good to have a breather because we have all been hard at work since September of last year and this week off will have done us good in terms of just refreshing our minds as all the players and staff went away from rugby and got a different kind of mental stimulus for a week,”
He adds: “We all come back rejuvenated because we realise how much work we have put in already, and now that we are close to completing that main objective, we understand that it is also going to be the most difficult period. We will need to be at our best and sharpest, we cannot drop our guard now.”
Three more rounds of action remain before the knockout phase begins. That adds impetus to the side wanting to finish strong to secure the highest possible points tally for a home-based run-in. Post the clash with Border this weekend, Groepes and Co have the Golden Lions on the 8th of March and the Free State ladies on the 22nd of March.
The log sees the Daisies at the top, four points ahead of second-placed Sanlam Boland Dames [16], who lead the DHL Western Province by a single point in third. Free State currently round up the top four with 11 points.
Nothing is guaranteed unless the team works hard, and when you are at the top, everyone comes for you, says Groepes.
“When you have the privilege of playing for an iconic franchise like the one we play for, you must appreciate that it comes with the target of everyone gunning for you and wanting to get that win against you. We said at the beginning of our season that we wanted to be the team everyone looks to, and we are doing a lot of things right that bring us closer to that point,”
“The log is so close because the margins in this league are so tight, and that means everybody still has a chance to finish at the top, and that is what we need for a competitive comp, where this deep into the season, everyone still feels like they have the chance to lift the trophy.”
Groepes adds: “It is so hard to judge the league table before every single game is played. In my opinion, we still have very difficult games on the cards where we can drop points if we are not switched on. So we are very much aware that nothing is guaranteed, and we are going to have to fight hard to stay at the top and secure our home playoff position and that begins this weekend against Border.”
