adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
ANOTHER Clash of the Titans is on this afternoon when two of Zimbabwe’s biggest and most celebrated clubs clash at Harare Sports Club in a top-of-the-table National Rugby League encounter.Matches between Sportivo and defending champions Old Hararians have always been characterised with flying tempers, tension, crunching tackles and exciting back-line play and today’s game is not expected to be any different.
The game kicks-off at 3.30pm.
Hosts Sports Club are hoping to maintain their unbeaten record in the league while Old Hararians want to maintain their dominance over their bitter rivals.
Last year, the Old Boys beat the Lions home and away.
And, this year, this is their first meeting in the league but it remains to be seen if Old Hararians will be pick themselves up from last week’s defeat to Old Georgians. Sportivo team manager, Blessing Chitaure, knows that for his side it is not just about beating the defending champions.
“For us, (we want to beat them) because they are our (bitter) rivals and we definitely know that we have to expect a tough game,” said Chiutare.
“Drawing against Busters was not good enough but we are comfortable, though, because it has always been difficult to come out with a win in Bulawayo. We have a mix of new and old players, we have a solid team and the problem we actually have now is that we have a big pool of players, so big that we have nightmares of putting a side together.
“A number of young and exciting players are within our ranks and these include the likes of Boxer (Taddy Whata) who only started playing last year for us but has been very good. My wish really on Saturday is to see good rugby so we have to step two gears up.”
Old Boys coach Cyprian “Supa” Mandenge feels last week’s defeat to Old Georgians was a wake-up call.
“There were quite a number of negatives and there were a lot of positives so I believe it is about taking the positives and we are working hard to make sure we eliminate the negatives we had last weekend,” said Mandenge. “We have nothing to prove. We just have to play our normal game. Last year, look, we lost to OGs and we bounced back during the season. Knowing Sports Club, they play exciting rugby but we also have to be at our best.”
Old Georgians face a hapless Zvishavane Bulls in what is the curtain raiser to the Sports Club/Old Hararians game and this, perhaps, is a chance for Grant Mitchell to give game to some of the fringe players he has.
Old Miltonians will be hoping to get their first win of the season when they host Gweru Sports Club at Hartsfield while Busters entertain Western Panthers in a Bulawayo derby.
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