Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
MATABELELAND Warriors are in a celebratory mood after winning the recently held Great North Rugby Challenge in Francistown, Botswana.
Despite the tournament played at the Old Francistown Stadium being for seniors, Warriors, coached by Ruben Kumpasa sent their Under-21s who proved too strong for their opponents. Warriors defeated Botswana University of Science and Technology 45-10, saw off Botswana Accountancy Club 66-14 before they thumped a select team 50-10 in the final.
Warriors were meant to play against Jwaneng Rugby Club before the final but the match could not take place since their would-be opponents had suffered a number of injuries that had left them depleted but some of their players played against the Zimbabweans in the final.
The tournament was meant to have six teams, four from Botswana and two from Zimbabwe. In the end there were three from Botswana and one coming from Zimbabwe. Highlanders were supposed to send a team but they failed to do so.
Seeing that their juniors have been active in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board Under-21 League where they played in the semi-finals, Warriors took a team mostly made up of youngsters to Botswana.
“We opted to send juniors because they have been active and took just three seniors. It was a competitive tournament, our opponents were more physical but we had more structure, we played flowing rugby,’’ Kumpasa said.
Prop Patrick Mcklin took the Player of the Tournament while Emmanuel Zangari was the Top Try Scorer with six tries.
Online Reporter