adminPaul Munyuki Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE scrum-half Rukudzo Munyeza is on song at the annual Under-13 schools Coca-Cola Craven Week rugby festival in Durban where his boot has proven the decisive factor in the games they have won so far.Munyeza, of St George’s College, took over the kicking responsibility from fly-half Tawanda Muyeye who kicked in Zimbabwe’s opening 12-36 loss to Griquas.
The Zimbabwe schools side made it two out of three yesterday when they beat Griffons 26-22.
Having realised their mistakes on the opening day, following a 12-36 loss at the hands of Kimberly-based Griquas on Monday, Zimbabwe got their act together to register wins over Border CD and Griffons at Glenwood High School.
And they hope to maintain the momentum in their final game of the festival when they take on bitter rivals Namibia in a junior Test match.
Zimbabwe’s points came through four tries by centres Munashe Chitezwi and Tadiwanashe Kadziyanike, winger Tanaka Mukanya, and eighth-man Nataizya Chininga while scrummy Munyeza chipped in with three conversions.
And it was Munyeza’s boot that made the difference as Griffons replied through four tries but managed to bag only one of their four conversions.
Griffons centres Teboho Matsoso and JC Allen, winger Marinus Minnaar and Ruan Strydom each touched down once while fly-half Cammi Roux missed three of the four conversions to give Zimbabwe the much-needed win.
Going into the break, Zimbabwe were leading 12-10.
Zimbabwe came from behind to get this win
Chitezwi was yellow carded for dangerous play in the ninth minute but Roux could not get the three points after he missed from the resultant penalty.
Five minutes on Griffons extended their lead courtesy of a Minnaar try to give his side a 10-0 lead but Zimbabwe did not lose hope and remained focused at the task at hand and in the 19th minute Mukanya touched down.
Munyeza was yet to find his form with the boot and missed the conversion in the 20th minute as Zimbabwe trailed 10-5 but three minutes later Kadziyanike scored another try for the visitors, Munyeza finding the target, to give his side a half-time lead.
The Griffons started the second half pretty much the same way they did in the opening half with two tries by Strydom and Matsoso, which was converted, to give them a 22-10 lead but this was the last time the Griffons scored against Zimbabwe.
Chininga and Chaitezwi made sure Zimbabwe would walk away with a victory and the ever supportive boot of Munyeza gave Zimbabwe yet another victory.
The value of a reliable kicker proved to be the difference as well when Zimbabwe again came from behind to stage a powerful comeback against Border Country Districts whom they beat 31-27 on Wednesday
At half-time Zimbabwe were trailing 27-14 but they staged a dramatic comeback that saw them score 17 points without a reply.
Both sides scored five tries apiece and it came down to the kickers where Munyeza converted three of the five tries and also added a try.
Zimbabwe’s tries came from Chaitezwi, Chininga, Rory Plunket, Munyeza and Mukanya.
Zimbabwe Squad
Forwards: Cole Onorati, Lance Annandale, Bradley Gambiza, Anthony Hadebe, Jordan Cowley, Simba Muzivi, Patrick Plunket, Nataizya Chininga.
Backs: Rukudzo Munyeza, Tawanda Muyeye, Tinomukudza Chipfumbu, Tadiwanashe Kadziyanike, Munashe Chaitezwi, Tanaka Mukanya, Michael Booth.
Reserves: Tanaka Tachiwona, Declan Ralphs, Simba Chitaka, Rory Plunket, Michael Frost, Kudakwashe Makoni, Connor Campbell-Sparrow.
Online Reporter