adminNgoni Dapira Sports Correspondent
MUTARE Boys’ High School and Marist Nyanga did the province proud after winning two out of their three matches during the just-ended Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival.
The 2016 edition of the country’s biggest schools rugby festival ended last Saturday after seven days of non-stop rugby action.
The competition draws schools from all corners of the country.
The Mutare Shumbas wanted to redeem themselves this year after losing all matches last year.
Playing in Pool A, for the elite and promoted schools, Mutare went down 3-24 to Gifford in their first match.
In the following matches against St John’s Chikwaka and Murewa, the Shumbas won decisively, defeating the sides 14-0 and 28-0 respectively.
The Marist Panthers on the other hand who were in Pool B, for developmental schools, also faltered in their opening match against Mufakose 2 narrowly losing 12-14.
The Panthers then went on to hammer St Columbus’ 17-0 and Herentals College 20-0.
This was, however, a slight disappointment comparing with last year’s performance that saw the side win all its matches.
Rusape’s Vengere High managed to win just one match against Glen View 2 High in the Pool B matches opener.
The school lost 5-17 to Mufakose 1 and went down 0-7 to Kuwadzana 2.
This year, Hillcrest College’s senior side did not compete at the festival along with giants, Peter House as they were on tour in South Africa.
The festival had some major upsets to show how rugby is now transforming in several schools.
Teams like Lomagundi went down against Midlands Christian College, St George’s was defeated by Kyle College, Marlbrough defeated Watershed, while Kutama beat Eaglesvale which was highly unlikely in the past.
However, the best team of the tournament this year was the Churchill Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs defeated Marlborough and St George’s respectively and to put the icing on the cake was their sweet victory against arch-rivals, Prince Edward Tigers which they won 24- 19.
Mutare Shumbas coach, George Mufute, said despite the positive increase in the number of developmental schools at the festival, he was concerned about the absence of Hillcrest and Peter House.
“This is the biggest schools rugby tournament in the country and we should prop our own.
“Hillcrest cancelled because they had just come from a tour in South Africa, the same as for Peter House who were in South Africa.
“This is unacceptable. Tours can be organsied on other dates.
“If we fail to recognise the importance of the Dairibord Festival as Zimbabwean schools then we will be losing the plot and shooting down the development of local schools rugby,” said Mufute.
He said this year might just be two elite schools, but the following year more might join the bandwagon.
The annual rugby festival that has been running for over 20 years has not only been an ideal platform to nurture developmental schools rugby, but also showcases the best schools rugby talent in the country.
Online Reporter