By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
Former Border Bulldogs coach Elliot Fana has died in a car accident.
Fana coached World Cup winners Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi during his time as a Border coach between 2014 and 2016.
Before taking up rugby coaching permanently, Fana mentored Proteas Test captain Dean Elgar at St Dominic’s College in Welkom.
The University of Fort Hare (UFH) confirmed Fana’s death and details of the accident are yet to be determined at this stage.
At the time of his death, Fana was the director of rugby at Fort Hare, which was riding high in this year’s Varsity Shield competition after four wins in four matches.
Fana also coached UFH Blues from 2009 to 2013 prior to taking over at the Border provincial union, where players like Mapimpi, Am, Masixole Banda, Billy Dutton and Johannes Jonker excelled under his tutelage.
From 2008 to 2011, he was also an SA Under-20 technical coach, working under then-Under-20 head coach Eric Sauls. Springboks Elton Jantjies, Pat Lambie, Jaco Taute and Francois Venter, as well as Ireland international CJ Stander, were part of that national Under-20 team in that period. He also coached the Border Under-21 side to the Currie Cup B-Division title in 2011.