Old Georgians in first defeat

The Harare giants travelled to Bulawayo with a depleted side and had only 16 players, 15 on-field players and one substitute.
Old Miltonians took full advantage of the situation to get only their second win of the season with a close 24-21 victory.

This was not the first time the Dragons travelled to Bulawayo with a depleted side but this time the decision came back to haunt them.
They lost to a side who are second from bottom on the log standings.

The Dragons were unbeaten in five games having also dismissed former champions and rivals Old Hararians and Harare Sports Club in both Harare derbies.
It was a huge victory for the Bulawayo side who got their points from tries by Dean Nyoni, Roy Maganga and Tichaona Charumbira while flyhalf Allan Mntungwa added three conversions and a penalty. The visitors got their points from lock Jonathan Goosen and Peit Joubert, who planted a try each, while flyhalf Tafadzwa Mutataguta added a try and two penalties, missing out on all the conversions.

By half-time Old Miltonians were leading 17-11 and there was nothing to stop them in the second half where they killed the game with a converted try from Charumbira.
The Dragons could do little, to stem the tide, and Joubert’s five pointer, towards the end of the game, provided the response.

While the Dragons were in pain, Old Hararians were celebrating their 70-14 thumping of Western Panthers and this enabled them to close in on log leaders Old Georgians as they are now just a point away.

Back-liner Patrick Tenesi top scored for his side with a hat-trick of tries while captain and flyhalf Tichafara Makwanya weighed in with an important 12 points, off three conversions and two penalties.

Makwanya remained the top points scorer in the league as he extended his tally to 62 from 50 while Takudzwa Bvunzawabaya added two points and moved into the top three of the top try scorers.

Victor “Jack Rhumba” Mushoriwa also came in with a brace of tries in the destruction of the Bulawayo side while Leeroy Mashiri, Kundai Hatendi, Lungile Tshuma and Antipas Kamkwindo all weighed in with a try each.

The visitors got their consolation points from a double by Kudakwashe Chimukuyu and a conversion by Mayibongwe Ncube.
Old Hararians’ win saw them move a point within leaders Old Georgians who failed to pick a point in the game against Old Miltonians as they gained a bonus point for losing by less than five points and moved to 25 points .

The Old Boys are second with 24 points having picked five points against Western Panthers and they have proven they have the strongest attack in the league so far having collected 309 points in their six games while conceding 64.

Sports Club, who have a game in hand, were the biggest winners after powering to a 107-0 winners over hapless Zvishavane Bulls at McAdam Rugby Ground in Zvishavane.
Results: Old Miltonians 24, Old Georgians 21; Old Hararians 70, Western Panthers 14; Mat’land Warriors 35, Gweru Sports Club 10; Zvishavane Bulls 0, Harare Sports Club 107.