Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo,Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOR the first time, Old Miltonians (OMs) have been crowned back-to-back champions of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board (BMRFB) Archer Clothing Rugby League following a dominant 41-22 win over rivals Matabeleland Warriors at Hartsfield on Saturday.
With the emphatic victory, the Old Boys completed an invincible campaign in which they only dropped points once — in a 28-28 draw against Warriors during the second leg of the round-robin stage. They won 10 of their 11 matches.
Last year, OMs ended Warriors’ decade-long domination, and on Saturday, they showed it was no fluke. They could hardly put a foot wrong and were duly rewarded, although they may feel the scoreline should have been wider had they converted more of their chances.
OMs opened the scoring with a penalty to take a 3-0 lead. Warriors hit back with a try from a line-out move, which they successfully converted to go ahead 7-3. Moments later, OMs missed a penalty, but with Warriors showing ill-discipline, they got another chance soon after — only to miss again.
The OMs forwards pack proved too strong, however, and a driving maul yielded their first try. Although the conversion went wide, they edged ahead 8-7, with Warriors reduced to 14 men. Warriors briefly regained the lead with a drop goal, but OMs struck back with a well-worked try on the stroke of half-time to go into the break 13-10 up.
Early in the second half, OMs extended their lead with another try (18-10), and moments later they all but put one hand on the title with a converted try that pushed the scores to 25-10.
Warriors, to their credit, kept fighting and pulled one back with a well-worked try that went unconverted (25-15). But OMs were relentless, adding a penalty (28-15) and another try (33-15). Warriors responded with a converted try (33-22), their last points of the day.
The champions sealed the deal with a penalty and a late try to close out the 41-22 victory.
In the women’s championship, Warriors Ladies were crowned champions after a 12-0 win over Western Suburbs Panthers.
Next up on the local rugby calendar is the Unforgettable Summer Sevens Series.
