adminCENTRE Takudza Chieza put up a spirited performance when he overcame a potentially damaging ear infection to lead the Zimbabwe Under-18 side to a thrashing of Border Country Districts here at the Craven Week rugby festival yesterday.
By Monday night Chieza was doubtful for the game after he suffered an ear infection and yesterday he had to play with a pad on it but that did not deter him and was duly named man-of-the-match in his side’s opening game at the GWK Rugby Stadium.
The game had to be briefly stopped in the seventh minute following a clash of colours as the two sides were both in dark striped jerseys, socks and were all in white shorts and Zimbabwe had to do national duty in the (host province) Griquas colours.
But the Young Sables focussed on the task at hand to score nine tries, seven of them converted by flyhalf Luke Masasire.
Diminutive flanker Tapiwa Tsomondo scored a hat-trick while Daniel Rorke weighed in with a brace of tries as Zimbabwe made light work of the South Africans.
All of Tsomondo’s tries came in the first half and the second half was time for Rorke to shine as all his tries came in the second period.
Masasire also came in with three penalties as other tries came from centre Preston Bryant, Robert Sargeant, Chieza, and winger Tarisai Ndudzo for Zimbabwe to register the biggest win at the festival so far.
Border CD’s points came from a 41st minute Devandre Sissing penalty after realising they could not penetrate the Zimbabwe defence and this was the only time they saw their side gaining points in the game.
“This winning margin came as a surprise to us of course we were expecting to win but I never thought we would win by such a margin. But confidence in us grew with each try we scored and I am happy for the team, the coaches and the nation as a whole.
“The fact that this win came in our first game will definitely raise our morale and we now have to focus on the next game on Thursday (tomorrow) but I am happy with the way the side gelled,” said the Kyle College centre. Zimbabwe took an early lead and it was in the third minute that they got a penalty just outside the Border CD 22-metre line and Masasire did not hesitate to take the kick that gave birth to the destruction of the South Africans.
For the greater part of the game Zimbabwe camped in the Border CD, putting them under a lot of pressure.
This forced the hosts to make a lot of errors in the danger zone and surely this worked in favour of Zimbabwe who capitalised on the chances that came their way.
However, Masasire missed a drop goal and a penalty before Tsomondo came in to plant in the Border CD in goal mid way in the second half but at that stage, it never seemed Zimbabwe would manage a runaway score.
It indeed was a great try for Zimbabwe as the Prince Edward loose forward made an emphatic run from the centre line, tearing through the Border CD defence and planting between the posts, making it easy for Masarire to add the bonus points.
Barely five minutes after this try, Tsomondo was back to haunt the Border CD defence and it was in the 19th minute that he scored the second of his tries.
But this time Masasire’s boot failed to hit the target as Zimbabwe took a 21-0 lead, before he added his last four minutes before the break.
Zimbabwe were good on attack where they created good lines of running, supported the man on the ball but they were however, not as good on the lineouts and they made up for this by forcing a lot of turnover balls on the part of Border CD.
Peterhouse winger Ndudzo saw his name going on the score sheet when he scored the first try in the second half before Chieza – who had earlier orchestrated two five pointers for his side – showed his brilliance with a 49th minute try.
Then it was time for Rorke to steal the show when he extended Zimbabwe’s lead in the 54th minute before touching down again 10 minutes later. Bryant’ s try was sandwiched between Roke’s efforts.
TEAM:
Zimbabwe
Backs: James Forester, Sean Zeederburg, Preston Bryant, Takudzwa Chieza,Tarisai Ndudzo, Luke Masasire, SargeantForwards:Kudakwashe Makuvire, Rees Surtees, Joshua Smallbornes, Mathew Lawson, Robert Zee, Tapiwa Tsomondo, Daniel Rorke, Garath Meikle.
Online Reporter