adminof their home crowd on Saturday, Harare Sports Club showed their true intentions for a National Rugby League championship title after a 47-25 bashing of the Warriors.
This means that Sports Club are the only unbeaten side in the league so far and prior to last weekends’ games, the Warriors were also unbeaten but the Lions brought the Bulawayo side’s winning streak to a halt.
Sports Club have been strong enough to dismiss all the league giants and they started their campaign with a 24-17 win over defending champions Old Georgians, went on to beat former champions Old Hararians 24-19 made light work of returnees Gweru Sports Club and Airforce.
However, it was their win over the Warriors — who are coached by Sables mentor Brandon Dawson — that showed that new Sportivo coach Blessing “Bhuru” Chiutare’s men mean business.
After the weekend games, the Lions still managed to retain their number one position on the log with 23 points (three of them bonus points) having scored 244 points and allowing 80 points in.
It was this win that also propelled Sports Club to a seven point lead over second placed Old Georgians who have 16 points.
The champions’ defeat came at the hands of Sports Club but they managed three wins while four of their total points come as bonuses after four games.
The Dragons have so far been good enough to collect a bonus point in every game they have played including in their defeat to the log leaders but with a game in hand as they have only played four. This gave them the same number of points with Old Hararians who have been very inconsistent this season after their strength came to test and failed, losing to Sports Club and Warriors.
Of the four games they have played, Dawson’s side have won three games, but have only collected one bonus point and this makes them eight points adrift the lot leaders — something worrying for the Bulawayo giants.
Having bounced back into the national league after almost a 10 year absence, Gweru Sports Club continue to struggle and are second from the bottom after they suffered a 13-25 defeat to Old Miltonians.
Gweru made a welcome return to the league with a close 15-14 win over Panthers and this was the last time they tasted victory as they then went into the losing mode falling to Old Hararians (33-79), Warriors (7-35), Sports Club (7-62).
A 13-25 loss at the weekend away to Old Miltonians made the situation worse.
However, the losing curse is on Air Force who since the league kicked off do not know how it feels to share spoils, let alone win as they have only collected a point for all their endeavours this year.
Results
NRL: Old Georgians 94, Airforce 3; Old Hararians 86, Panthers 3; Old Miltonians 25, Gweru 13; Harare Sports Club 47, Mat Warriors 25.
Metro League: Southern City 0, Mabvuku 22; Mufakose 0, Edwardians 70; Mbare Bulldogs 0, Red Lions 58; Police Defenders 8, Mutare 74.
Online Reporter