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Jeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
HARARE Sports Club’s speedy back-liner Shayne Makombe starred in a nail-biting 25-26 loss, to the Central University of Technology (Bloemfontein), while playing for the University of KwaZulu Natal Impi in the South African Varsity Cup on Monday.
His good show featured two great tries that kept giving Impi a chance.
Ten minutes into the match, Makombe scored his first try under the posts after charging down a box kick.
The two rivals were neck-and-neck as the match headed towards the closing stages and the speedy winger scored the last try that would have given his team victory, had it been converted. The Zimbabwean student quickly justified his place in John Mitchel’s team with perfect finishing skills and is happy playing for his university on a rugby programme that has produced a number of Springboks.
“I am privileged to represent a university with lots of history, including producing John Smit, it was disappointing to lose the game after the way we had played but we got a bonus point, at least,” said Makombe.
Prior to the season-opener the Sables backliner had scored six tries in the pre-season games leading to the match and scoring twice on Monday was a huge morale-booster for a player whose mission was to utilise every scoring opportunity.
“I made the squad as a centre/wing and I think those will be my playing positions, the coach chose me as a winger on Monday because he believes in me as a finisher.
“He is a very good coach and his history inspires me, I’m learning from him and it’s good for me, personally, come March, when I am called up for national duty I believe I will be in a good space,” he said.
Makombe was in the starting line-up with fellow Zimbabwe Garath Meikle who captained the young Sables and the UKZN team soon added Old Hararians centre Gavin Nyawata just five minutes into the intense game. It was a very physical game and it would have been great if the final kick went through but these things happen in big games and it’s part of sport.
“We can only get better from here onwards, it was our first competitive game as a unit and given the fact that the majority of the players, like me, were new in the team, I think we did fairly well,” said Nyawata. Matthew Mandioma was a reserve on match day and he completes the full squad of the four Zimbabwean players in the UKZN Impi squad.
Online Reporter