Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema-Zimpapers Sports Hub
Zimbabwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (12) 38
Tunisia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
It might not have been pretty, but at least it was effective.
That was the story of the day as Zimbabwe beat Tunisia 38-12 to claim the bronze medal at the Barthes rugby Trophy at the Mutesa II Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, yesterday.
The win was a big improvement from their disappointing semi-final defeat against Kenya last week, and it saw the Junior Sables regain some semblance of pride on their way to a third-place finish in the Performance Division of the competition.
Zimbabwe’s tries came from Munangi Kamwendo, fullback Wayne Gandiwa, Kudakwashe Kachambwa, wingers Curtis Mashonganyika and Rukudzo Madinga, replacement Mthabisi Ndlovu and captain Takudzwa Matsvimbo.
Flyhalf Connor Lovatt continued his fine run with the boot, chipping in with three conversions, while replacement Denzel Dhave added a fourth.
In response, the North Africans crossed the line through Youssef Bejaoui and centre Mohammed Youssef Abid, while flyhalf Mohammed Afli added a conversion.
The match started rather on a sober note as both teams spent the opening 21 minutes sizing each other out.
Munangi then broke the deadlock after an enterprising move from the Zimbabwe forwards, which Lovatt converted.
The half soon turned on its head when Zimbabwe blindside flanker Cyril Cherayi was shown a yellow card and sent to the sin bin.
Tunisia made full use of the numerical advantage, scoring back-to-back tries through Bejaoui and Youssef Abid.
Unfortunately, Afli could convert only one of the tries, giving Tunisia a slender 12-7 lead.
Zimbabwe had the last laugh of the half as Gandiwa crossed over for an unconverted try, sending the two teams into the breather level at 12 apiece.
The Junior Sables came back the stronger of the two sides. They completely shut out their opponents, while Kachambwa, Mashonganyika, Madinga, Ndlovu, and Matsvimbo all crossed over for Zimbabwe tries.
Lovatt and Dhave chipped in with three conversions to complete the Junior Sables’ dominance.
Junior Sables open-side flanker Rufaro Shenje was named Man of the Match after a near-perfect effort.
“I did not expect it, to be honest,” said Shenje.
“It feels really good, and I am excited,” he added.
On the win, Shenje said: “We are just proud to do this for all the people back home.
It means so much to us to get a win, and we are very proud.
In the first half, I think we didn’t communicate well as a team, but we later improved, and the boys got their energy up. It has been a good tournament, and what I have learnt is that you never give up.”
