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Mehluli Sibanda in Harare
Prince Edward Tigers 24, 7 Churchill Bulldogs
THE Prince Edward Tigers proved too strong for the Churchill Bulldogs when they outclassed their cross town rivals on the fourth day of the annual Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival highlight match staged on the Jubilee Field at PE yesterday.
What was dubbed as the biggest fixture of this year’s schools rugby fiesta, watched by a huge crowd did not live up to its billing as Churchill did not come to the party at all. PE, who led 17-0 at halftime, outscored Churchill by four tries to one. The Tigers roared their way over the line four times, converted two of those five pointers while the Bulldogs barked over the whitewash just once for a try which was converted.
So dominant were PE that play was for the better part of the match concentrated on the Churchill half with the Bulldogs hardly attacking the Tigers goal line.
PE started off strongly and were rewarded with five minutes played, right wing Russell Dinha dotting the ball over on the right corner only for flyhalf Tinotenda Savanhu to miss the conversion kick.
Loose forward, Nigel Mpofu, also planted the ball over the line on the right corner for PE’s second try of the match with the conversion kick from Savanhu again not on target.
Scrum half Ernest Mudzengerere scored the third try for PE after some relentless pressure piled on the Churchill goal line, Savanhu this time accurate with the kick at goal to put his side 17-0 up going into the break.
PE did not take time to pick up their fourth try of the match in the second half, loose head prop Jeff Makoni going over the line and Savanhu’s conversion kick sailed in between the posts for the Tigers to lead 24-0.
Churchill recorded what was a consolation try scored by Macromeo Murithiyu with the conversion booted in by Tinotenda Zishiri.
It was the first competitive fixture for PE at the weeklong schools rugby carnival. On Tuesday, the Tigers were forced to play against their own second team as their opponents for that day Peterhouse could not fulfil the fixture when a parent of one of the players was involved in a road accident while on their way to the festival. An official from Peterhouse yesterday revealed that the parent has since passed on.
For Churchill, it was their second loss at the tournament after they were beaten 21-7 by Falcon College on Tuesday.
In other matches staged on the Jubilee Field, Allan Wilson beat Plumtree 26-7, Petra picked up their second win with a 12-6 triumph over Gateway, Lomagundi edged Hillcrest 21-17, Kyle College were 17-7 victors over Eaglesvale. Falcon College showed no mercy for Watershed, trouncing the Marondera school 74-0. Peterhouse overcame the loss of a parent of one of their players with 40-0 victory over Midlands Christian School while in the last match of the day, Saint John’s College defeated St George’s College 17-10.
Gifford picked up their second win of the festival with a 13-0 victory over Livingstone Kolobeng College of Botswana on Avenues Field while Milton put up a much better show with a 3-3 draw against Ellis Robins on the same ground.
The festival enters its penultimate day today with the big guns taking a break before they clash on the last day tomorrow.
Online Reporter