MSC win thriller

Ngoni Dapira
MUTARE’S topflight national rugby league team, Mutare Sports Club finally got it right last Saturday romping to a 49-20 victory against debutants, Old Johanians in a thrilling encounter.The Mutare Shumbas as they are fondly known showcased the agility of their backline, especially in the second half, which saw the hosts dominate with their nimble-footed blind-wing, Brighton Matiyashe dropping three spectacular tries.
OJS walloped Mutare Shumbas 37-10 in the first encounter, but this time round they were on the receiving end.

The match started off rocky for the hosts with the visitors’ gigantic forwards powering through their defence with ease in the first 10-minutes.
OJS put the first points on the board through a penalty conversion by fullback Matthew Tanbling.

Five minutes later, OJS extended the lead and placed a try through eighth-man, Kudzi Mandiwanza, taking a 10-0 lead after the conversion was successfully kicked by Tanbling.

In the 19th minute, Mutare Shumbas started warming up into the match and it was lock, Moss Kapuma who broke the jinx making the scoreboard 10-7 after flyhalf, Armson Makumbe kicked through the conversion.

Barely four minutes later in the 22nd minute, MSC’s towering eighth-man, Tatenda Mariga powered through with a brilliant individual finish on the blind side from the 22-yard line putting the hosts in the lead for the first time 12-10.

A fired up MSC got the home crowd ecstatic after flank, Keith Machimi touched down another try in the 25th minute shortly after Mariga’s try, widening the lead to 17-10.

The visitors unabated hit back in the 30th minute through some impressive forward play and big hits with flyhalf, Braisly Hove placing the try, narrowing the scoreboard to 17-15 after Tanbling failed to kick through the conversion.

Mutare Shumbas, however, managed to place another try just before half time through prop, Joseph Knight, ending the first half 22-15 in favour of the hosts. This was after Makumbe failed the conversion.

The second half saw an even more fired up MSC side, with substitute, Ngoni Chibuwe placing a try barely 10-minutes into the second half on his first touch. This followed a beautiful up and under kick by Robin Matsanga from the 10-yard line. A failed conversion put the match at 27-15.

Matsanga who had played an impressive game unfortunately got injured in the process dislocating his right ankle.
Seven minutes later in the 62nd minute Makumbe saw an opening after kicked an up and under from the MSC 22-yard which was chased by Matiyashe and executed perfectly with a spirited run outpacing the OJS fullback.

With the scoreboard 34-15, the visibly frustrated OJS side conceded an unnecessary penalty in their 22-yard which Makumbe kicked through with ease extending the lead to 37-15.

In the 75th minute, Hardluck Dongonda salvaged a try for the visitors narrowing the gap to 37-20.
However, Matiyashe quickly reversed that in the in the 80th minute placing his second try through an overlap on the blind side.

To put the icing on the cake in the 88th minute, Chibuwe kicked through a well calculated grab kick from the MSC’s 22-yard and again Matiyashe chased the ball on the blind-side, side stepped back in-field to beat two OJS players and outpaced the full-back.
His spectacular finish ended the match 49-20.
Meanwhile, Hillcrest College walloped MSC’s Under-20 side 65-17, while old boys Buggers drew with MSC Select 25-25 in a touch rugby curtain-raisers match.

In other Northern league matches played last weekend, defending champions, Old Hararians also finally got it right beating Harare Sports Club 31-13. Old Georgians trampled over Police Defenders 87-3.
Tomorrow Mutare Shumbas will host OGS.
The match kicks off at 2pm.

In Harare, Sportivo, as HSC is fondly known will take on OJS while OH pit Police at Harare Sports Club.