adminUZ came out tops in the qualification tournament that had five other universities — Great Zimbabwe University, Chinhoyi University of Technology, National University of Science and technology, Women’s University (WU) and Bindura University — participating.
NUST were however, walked over in all their matches while WU missed their first match before going down 15-5 to Bindura. Their hopes for a semi-final slot then went up in smoke after they lost 20-10 to Great Zimbabwe. UZ sounded warning shots of their pedigree when they started the tournament with a 20-15 victory over Great Zimbabwe.
Their next opponents were Chinhoyi who had been awarded points for a walkover on NUST but there was no stopping UZ from securing a 15-10 win to secure their place in the final.
It turned out that UZ’s opening game against Great Zimbabwe became a dress rehearsal of the final and as was the case in that opener the script was the same with the Harare institution posting another 2015 win.
UZ’s Itai Vambwe was named the player of the tournament while WU earned the honours of the Most disciplined team. Both UZ and Great Zimbabwe also qualified to represent the universities at the Zimbabwe Tertiary Sports Union (ZITISU) games in Bulawayo.
UZ’s scrum-half vice-captain Charles Munganasa praised the success of the tournament especially in its function of integrating rugby teams from different tertiary institutions.
“It promotes continuity of the sport as most rugby players disappear from the scene after high school only to resurface as supporters of their previous schools at the COTTCO rugby festival.
I think the Zimbabwe Rugby Union should reintroduce the Varsity league as this would be microcosom of the national leagues. Lots of talent can be discovered there,” Munganasa said. Munganasa’s sentiments echo the ZRU General Manager Sifiso Made’s pre-tournament presentation at the recently ended COTTCO rugby tournament.
Online Reporter