Online Reporter
Sports Reporter
JUST in case the Namibians have forgotten. Let’s rewind to the events of last year.
Zimbabwe 32, Namibia 10 in the semi-final of the Rugby Africa Cup in Uganda.
It was a grand victory for the Sables who scored courtesy of tries by winger Edward Sigauke, Brendon Mudzekenyedzi, fullback Tapiwa Mafura, and Takudzwa Musingwini while Ian Prior added three conversions and a penalty.
Musingwini capped off his big day in the office with a penalty kick of his own.
The Namibians, whom we meet on Saturday with a place at the Rugby World Cup at stake, found the going tough that day.
All they could muster was a try by substitute Alcino Isaacs while skipper Danco Burger chipped in with a penalty and conversion.
Well, the day belonged to Mafura, whose man-of-the-match performance won him many admirers.
His defending was top-notch, the runs were mesmerising and the fullback put the icing on the stellar show by being central in two of Zimbabwe’s tries before scoring his own.
Sigauke got on the end of a cross kick by Ian Prior before recording his second try of the tournament. Prior made sure to convert the try to give Zimbabwe a 7-3 lead.
From then on, the Sables seized control of proceedings and never took their foot off the pedal.
Mudzekenyedzi added another converted try by the time the break came, Zimbabwe were enjoying a 14-3 lead.
The scores could have been different, but both the duo of Burger and Prior traded failed penalty kicks from promising angles.
The winds probably affected their miscued efforts. Mafura added to Zimbabwe’s tally with an instinctive try before having a hand in Zimbabwe’s fourth.
The fullback went off on a sublime run from his own 22 before laying the ball to a supporting Musingwini to touch down.
Now, let’s do it again on Saturday Sables.
There is so much at stake that one gets the feeling that the whole nation is behind this group of Sables.
