Playing against Border no longer emotional for Daises' Lusanda Dumke

The Eastern Cape-born flanker has only ever played her rugby in that part of the world. Then in February, she became one of the first 35 women ever to earn a professional contract with the Bulls. Dumke led the Border Ladies to two IPL titles, defeating Western Province in consecutive finals in the previous two seasons. 

She told SABC Sport she was counting down the seconds when - as luck would have it - her first game with her new club was at a place she called home all her life, and against her ‘family’

"It was the first game of the season; it was very emotional I don't wanna lie. The minute the ref ended the game I started crying because I thought of the time I spent there [at Border], the emotions that I shared with that team and everything I had been through with that team. So, the emotions were high. I was very emotional", she confessed. 

Dumke has since recovered from the trip to East London, where the Daises smashed Border 31-0 - their only defeat this season, while the Tshwane ladies have yet to drop points in six games.

The Springbok loose-forward sought out the blessings of her former employer for the move.

"The minute that I heard that I'm gonna go to the Bulls Daises, I phone the management from Border and I told them. The only thing they said to me was that 'we just want you to be happy, and we want you to perform. For you to perform you need to be happy", she shared. 

"They [Border] are always concerned about the environment that I'm in as a player and as a person as well. The conversation was 'Keep doing what you're doing, we support you regardless of where you are. And we think you have made the best decision for you and your family." 

Making sacrifices for her family is synonymous with the 26-year-old. In 2022, she returned a VW Polo she won as Sports Star of the Year at the Eastern Cape Sport and Recreation Achievers Awards. Dumke claimed it didn’t make sense to drive an expensive car while she lives in a shack in an informal settlement. Through the support of influential members in the region, she’s since kept the vehicle, while plans are in place to build the 2021 SA Rugby Provincial and Springbok Women’s Player of the Year a home.