adminNgoni Dapira
Marist Panthers hoisted the Manicaland provincial flag high following their flawless and winning campaign in the developmental Pool B at the just-ended Dairibord schools rugby festival.Hosts, Prince Edward, were the best team at the festival in Pool A after winning all matches whilst two of its players being selected as the most valuable players.
With four teams from Manicaland participating at this year’s festival, namely Hillcrest College, Mutare Boys’ High, Vengere High and Marist and the Panthers were the most triumphant after recording convincing victories in pool B.
Vengere and Marist were playing in the developmental teams Pool B that played on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while the Mutare Shumbas and Hillcrest Leopards were playing in the more competitive Pool A. Marist started their campaign against Goldridge, securing a 13-10 win, then took on neighbours Vengere and won 3-0.
In the final against SOS, the Panthers proved their mettle by dominating throughout the match and winning 24-10.
Their performance will most likely prop them up back into Pool A next year where they were relegated after non-attendance at two consecutive festivals.
This year, unlike other years scouts were selecting the man-of-the-match for each match from the winning side. The selected player was given a certificate. The Panthers captain and eighthman, Elijah Mbawa, Tatenda Nyamukungwa and Brandon Mwatiza were chosen as players-of-the-match in the Goldridge, Vengere and SOS matches respectively. Vengere also showed improvement this year although lost two out of three matches.
The Rusape outfit won 5-0 in their opener against SOS and then lost 3-0 to Marist and 29-12 against Goldridge.
In Pool A, Manicaland struggled to make a mark.
Hillcrest only salvaged a 29-14 victory in the final match against arch-rivals Watershed College, while the Mutare Shumbas unfortunately had a bad hunting expedition and failed to catch any prey throughout the tournament.
The Leopards, however, redeemed battered pride against the Watershed Owls to uphold their winning streak since 2004 against the Marondera side at the festival.
Leopards flank, Tadiwa Muchemwa, was chosen as the man-of-the-match.
In all its matches, Hillcrest lost narrowly. They first went down 12-14 against Petra College and 17-21 against Lomagundi.
The Mutare Shumbas on the other hand faced a tough visiting Botswana side LKC and lost 8-27 and then lost 23-17 to Goromonzi.
In their final match against Bulawayo side, Milton High, the Shumbas gave a brave fight, but eventually lost 13-7.
Marist team manager, Phineas Makombe, said lack of a proper running school league was killing the status of the sport in most public schools. “We have a very good side this year, but during the rugby season, second term, we only have a few matches against surrounding schools in Nyanga because there is no official league.
“Apart from that we wait for invitational tournaments. This is killing the sport in most public schools,” said Makombe.
The rugby festival director, Sebastian Garikai, said although the festival was growing each year, there was need to revamp inter-schools leagues for developmental schools throughout the country.
Most private schools have functional leagues with the top-brass either in the schools Super-Eight league or Co-Educational league.
The Co-Ed league comprises of Hillcrest, Watershed, Gateway, Eaglesvale, Hellenic, Petra, Midlands Christian College and Lomagundi College, whilst the Super Eight league comprises of Prince Edward, St Georges, Peterhouse, St John’s, Falcon, Christian Brothers College, Kyle College and Churchill.
Churchill is the only public school in the Super-Eight.
“There used to be the Schweppes league where most public schools like Mutare Boys High competed against Churchill and other teams countrywide.
“Such funded leagues were important to keep the spirit of rugby alive and we hope to see the corporate world opening up soon despite the economic impasse in the country,” said Garikai.
He added that the Dairibord corporate brand has been growing ever since its endorsement of the schools rugby festival last year.
Garikai also urged Manicaland schools to push for girls’ rugby.
The 2015 edition saw over 20 schools mostly from Harare and Bulawayo fielding girls’ teams.
The annual six-day tournament which is the biggest schools rugby tournament in the country draws big crowds each year.
The tournament has over the years become a stepping stone for several players, where international players like Tendai ‘Beast’ Mutawarira, Tonderai Chikavhanga and Brian Mujati got their spotlight to launch their careers during their school days.
Former Hillcrest College student, Ngoni Chibuwe, last year joined South Africa’s Sharks Academy after hogging the limelight at the festival.
Online Reporter