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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MUTARE rugby outfit, Old Crestonians is fast asserting its dominance in Manicaland after becoming the toast of the Manicaland Sevens’ competition held at Mutare Sports Club last week on Saturday.
Mutare Sports Club came second in a competition that saw Old Crestonians Two settling for third position.
Spartans came fourth.
Minnows Rockstars gave a good account of themselves after settling for a well-deserved fifth position, while Eastern Giants came sixth.
Old Boys were seventh.
Bateleurs Chikanga and Rusape Wolves were eighth and ninth, respectively.
The top try scorer award went to Mutare Sports Club’s Prince Marange (eight), while Marist Nyanga Boys’ High School’s Wayne Nenhanga was named the most valuable player.
In the women’s competition, only two teams turned up, and Spartans emerged victorious, while Eastern Giants came second.
The top try scorer was Audrey Manase of Spartans, while the most valuable player was Nomsa Madekurozva.
Manicaland Rugby Board chairperson, Moss Kapumha said the tournament was in celebration of the game’s bi-centennial year.
“We are in the bi-centennial year of World Rugby, so we are celebrating rugby’s 200th year. Manicaland found it befitting to start celebrating this bi-centennial through such a momentous tournament with the biggest local senior men’s and women’s sevens tournament.
“The teams that participated were from different levels of their rugby playing careers and backgrounds, just like the English Football Carabao Cup.
“We witnessed newcomers from grassroots development initiative, Rockstars and other minors, Eastern Giants and Bateleurs Chikanga, coming into the pond with the likes of MSC, OC and Spartans,” he said.
“What I was excited about was the level of commitment from the small teams. With more game time, they will be giving the so-called big boys sleepless nights.
“I also witnessed the development of upcoming new coaches from this tournament as 11 teams need 11 coaches. This was something unseen in the province in decades.
“The quality of the games boil down to the coaches’ preparedness. For most of the teams, we had not switched from the 15s format into sevens gear.
“We are still playing too basic sevens rugby; the fundamentals the players still need to get to execute. Level of fitness is still a cause of concern, but it was a good outing for the teams to see their level of readiness for the not so distant Zambezi Challenge Cup in Harare on September 2,” said Mosi.
According to Kapumha, the ladies’ category could have had more teams like Sahumani Bullets and MSC, but other commitments hampered their participation.
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