adminTHE Zimbabwe Under-18 side turned on the style with a classy performance to thrash host province Limpopo Blue Bulls 43-5 yesterday, leaving them among the top teams at the end of day three of the Craven Week festival.
Leading 15-0 at half time, the Zimbabweans went on to score four tries, all of them converted in the second period after getting two tries, with one converted and a penalty in the first half, for their big victory.
Tries came from man-of-the-match Tawanda Ngosi and captain Barend Moolman in the first half before Brandon Boshi, Brendon Mandivenga, Jabulani Mutukwa and prop Tanaka Chikwezvero weighed in with a try apiece. Limpopo got their consolation try in the 69th minute through Saudevandre Rolls in the far right corner, but Theodorus Maree missed the sticks.
And, as was the case in the first game against Griquas, whom Zimbabwe beat 35-17 on Monday, Mandivenga was also the top points scorer as he chipped in with 16 points.
He scored a try, four conversions and a penalty but he could have surpassed this had he not missed a penalty and a conversion in the first half.
In the second half he also missed a penalty and a drop goal, but that didn’t matter, in the end, as Zimbabwe powered to an upset win over a team that had beaten them by more than 50 points in each of the last two years.
Zimbabwe were the first on the scoreboard through a Mandivenga penalty, just outside the Limpopo 22 metre in the second minute of the game, after the hosts were punished for coming from the side and Moolman opted for the posts.
It took Zimbabwe another 23 minutes to add to their points tally when Ngosi got the first touchdown of the game before Mandivenga used the bonus points.
Three minutes to the end of the first half, captain Moolman led from the front with a try that came after winning their own lineout at the Limpopo 22 metre but Mandivenga hit the upright with the conversion attempt.
Whatever coach Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa told his boys during the break, coupled by the confidence of the 15-point cushion, worked wonders for the boys who are on course to make it three wins in three games.
Four more tries came, and it was all because the forwards had gained confidence, they were winning lose balls, secured turn-overs, had improved at the set pieces and had turned the tables to make the Limpopo pack useless. Zimbabwe take on Namibia, who beat Griquas 27-10, in their final game of the festival on Saturday.
Scorers:
Zimbabwe:
Tries: Ngosi, Moolman, Boshi, Mandivenga, Mutukwa, Chikwezvero
Cons: Mandivenga (4)
Pen: Mandivenga
Limpopo:
Try: Rolls
The teams:
Limpopo Blue Bulls 15-1: Surprise Mathabela, Arno van Staden, Adrian Maebane, Matjikinyane Molapo, Saudevandre Rolls, Andries Bruwer, Theodorus Maree, Mlungisi Ntimane, Richard Coetzee, Mosesile Mahlo-Mahlo, Christopher Durow, Nico Bezuidenhout, Henton Minnaar, Mohlanye Mametsa, Kgetho Mabokela.
Zimbabwe 15-1: Zimbabwe Starting XV (15-1): Jabulani Mutukwa, Brandon Boshi, Brendon Mandivenga, Justin Zietsman, Tawanda Ngosi, Rukudzo Gona, Andrew Dollar, Ivan Bawden, Daniel Moolman, Nicholas Burnett (Philangwezi Mudambanuki, 62nd minute), Glynne Rorke, Tinashe Gonese, Stephen Bhasera, Thabani Mujeni, Tanaka Chikwezvero.
Online Reporter