adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
OLD HARARIANS are aiming to end the season on a high and maintain a clean record at home when they take on city rivals Old Georgians Sports Club in the National Rugby League final at Old Hararians Sports Club on Saturday.
The Old Boys take on the Dragons a side they lost to away in the first half of the season before levelling matters in the second half but a win for either of the side would not only give dominance over another but hand them the bragging rights that come with being champions.
Defending champions Harare Sports Club were knocked out at the weekend by OGs, leaving room for a new champion to be crowned on Saturday.
However, it is not the past games that OH are looking at as they aim to maintain a good record at home come Saturday and if they win this encounter it means that they would not have lost at home this season.
Old Boy’s Zimbabwe Sables flyhalf Tichafara Makwanya feels they are capable of maintaining the class they showed in their destruction of Matabeleland Warriros last wekend.
“Of course we would love to put up a wonderful performance at home and our aim is definitely to win and end the season unbeaten at home.
“I do believe in home advantage, we need to defend well and play not only for each other but our fans as well. It (Old Hararians) is a ground that we areused to, we train there all the time and we are very comfortable there so we have to use that to our own advantage.”
Old Hararians have been the best team in the season so far beating Bulawayo giants Mat’land Warriors three times this season, Harare Sports Club home and away and getting the better of Old Georgians one out of the two times they have met so far.
It was last weekend that the Old Boys led by coach Cyprian “Supa” Mandenge ruthlessly outplayed the Warriors with a 47-15 thumping to make it to the final.
By half-time, the Old boys had taken a 20-7 lead but it was in the second half where they gave a better account of themselves coming back from the break a stronger side to add 25 points to eight for the Warriors but it remains to be seen if his side would be able to put up the same performance.
“We are not really under pressure despite the fact that we have lost once this season but this is just another game and though it is a make or break encounter we as a team would like to succeed and the influence we have for each other is still the same.
“Making it to the final is motivational enough, we posted a high score against the Warriors at the weekend, we displayed good skill and cohesion and because of all this all the players are in the right frame of mind,” Makwanya said.
Makwanya, however, warned his teammates against being over confident as they know what the Dragons are capable of doing especially with their forward play that has come to characterise their game.
“We are looking forward to the game, everyone is ready to give their all and we hope to carry the same performance into Saturday’s game.
“We have done it (win against OGs) before so I do not see any reason we should not be able to do it again.
“Not to take anything away from OGs, they are a good side all the reason they are also in the final.
“They are good at what they do, their play from the set-pieces is wonderful and their ball carriers surely take the ball over the advantage line.
“They way they played against Sports Club over the weekend means a lot,” said the Sables backliner.
Online Reporter