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Brandon Moyo
THE 15s season may have ended most heartbreakingly for local rugby powerhouse Matabeleland Warriors but the team managed to dust themselves up and focus on the next challenge, which was the Sevens.
The Sevens season began in the most memorable way for the Bulawayo giants who emerged victorious in a tournament that was played in Gweru last Saturday.
Warriors proved too strong for all their opponents as they convincingly won all the games they played on course to land the coveted silverware.
In their pool matches, they played against Gweru Polytechnic, Panthers and Midlands State University (MSU). They began their campaign with a 47-0 drubbing of Gweru Polytechnic before going on to secure a 26-12 win over fellow Bulawayo side Panthers. The Warriors flexed their muscles against MSU and won a comfortable 35-0 win. In the final, they went on to face Gweru and registered a hard fought 21-19 win.
In Gweru, the team was under the stewardship of Thabani “Volts” Sakupwanya who was doubling as a player coach. He was impressed with the way his charges played, adding that they stuck to their game plan and it paid dividends in the end.
“I’m so proud of the Warriors team as a whole. We played as one and stuck to our game plan throughout the tournament. We were not perfect because here and there we would go astray but in the end, we backed each other up. The team had a little boost from the Cheetahs camp. Kholwani Moyo came and fit in well in our setups in a humble manner,” said Sakupwanya.
Despite playing well throughout the tournament, Sakupwanya said they were found wanting in the final. He also expressed gratitude to the tournament organisers for the warm hospitality that they were showered with throughout their stay in the Midlands.
“Every player did their part and the results were deserved. In the final game, we were almost caught napping in the second half. Many thanks to the tournament organisers who kept us hydrated with water and a light lunch was also served, we all know how rugby players love food. I can safely say it was a good sporting day and that the tournament was a success. As Warriors, we will continue training and look forward to going on and defending our title in the upcoming Unforgettable 7s tournament if all goes well,” he said.
The Unforgettable Sevens tournament is an annual event in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board (BMRFB) calendar. This year’s edition is scheduled for November with commencement dates yet to be announced by the organisers.
derick.khumalo