admingames and the cup tournaments.
The current format is such that the teams that finish in the top four at the end of the proper league games go on to play in the semi-finals and the eventual winners meet in the final to decide the league winner.
However, Sables assistant coach Mandenge believes that the club that finishes tops in the National Rugby League should be the winner.
“If they (the administrators) feel that there is need for the top four teams to play in a knock out tournament, then this should come in as a different event all together.
“The format we are currently using now was probably copied from Super Rugby but it does not mean that copying is always good and it also does not mean it’s the best format.
“It is easier and more competitive that the league winners be the team that finishes on top after the round robin home and away games of the league and it would always be good to have winners for other cup games,” said Mandenge.
It is argued that the current format is not in the best interest of promoting competition in the league as some teams only play to make it for the top four and capitalise when it comes to the knock out stage.
During the just ended season champions Old Georgians, for example, sent a depleted squad of about 10 players to Bulawayo for a league game and this is one of the things a change in format would avoid.
Over the past two years Sports Club have been finishing tops in the league games.
They went on to lose to Old Georgians in both finals, also in extra time of both knock out stages.
The same also happened to Old Georgians when they went on to finish top in the round robin games but went on to fall to Sports Club in the cup final.
The former Zimbabwe Under-18 Sevens coach added that he is now emotionally over the erratic officiating that arguably cost his side victory in their 38-45 league final defeat to Old Georgians.
It is almost two weeks since Spots Club suffered that painful defeat in front of their home crowd and the pain has finally been subdued in the minds and hearts of Red Lions camp.
In that game a second half try following a clear knock-on by Jacques Leitao in the second half breathed life back into Old Georgians but referee Gabriel Masenda allowed play to continue.
This was one of the many costly mistakes Masenda made as he also allowed for rolling substitutions and television replays have later showed that there was a clear knock on in the build-up to the try.
But Mandenge has accepted the referee’s decision.
“He is only human and is bound to make mistakes.
“The same applies for the players, they can miss a kick right in front of posts that happened because those are the kind of mistakes referees make.
“We have managed to get past that and I am happy that during that final my players continued to play, a sign that they were determined to win despite what had happened.
“Unfortunately, it all did not go our way at the end of the game and we can’t go on blaming the referee, we are over it because the only thing we can control is the way we play.
“We cannot control the referee, we cannot control the opposition but we have to adjust our play to suit what we want and follow our game plan.
“And we should also learn to openly accept when a referee makes a mistake so that there is a level playing field because for them (referees) to be there the coaches and players have to be there first,” said Mandenge.
However, the coach gave credit to his side for a good season as they also provided the bulk of the players in the national team.
Online Reporter