Mistakes cost Zim team

Rugby-1

Mehluli Sibanda in Johannesburg, South Africa
HANDLING mistakes proved costly for the Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-18 rugby team, which suffered its second defeat at the Coca-Cola Craven Week at St Stithians College yesterday.

The Young Sables fell on a day their Academy Week counterparts thumped Border Country Districts 64-15 to record their first win at the schoolboys’ rugby tournament.

Zimbabwe, who play traditional foes Namibia in their last match at the Craven Week tomorrow, dominated the second half against Eastern Province CD and could have won the match had their ball handling been up to scratch.

Eastern Province CD scored six tries and made two conversions, while Zimbabwe managed two tries that were both converted. Vice-captain and first centre Mazvita Nyamarebvu scored Zimbabwe’s two tries that were converted by flyhalf Leroy Kagodora.

Scott Gray, the Junior Sables’ coach, felt his lads did not play according to their capabilities.

He attributed the defeat to mistakes by his players and numerous missed tackles.

“Unfortunately, I don’t feel we put in the best performance that the team is capable of. Too many individual errors and too many missed tackles kind of gave Eastern Province possession to put points on the board,” said Gray.

On their second half display when the Young Sables were clearly the better team, Gray said his players stopped themselves from getting some points.

“In the second half, we were able to get our fair share of possession. We have got some exciting attacking players with a great attacking ability and when we have the ball in hand, we do look like we can score points. Unfortunately, we were the ones that stopped ourselves from scoring points today,” he said.

The area in which the opponents were superior, Gray pointed out, was the collision area where they contested hard and managed to turn over possession, something the Zimbabwean players could not keep up with.

“Physically at the breakdown, I think they won the physical battle at the breakdown. They contested very hard at the breakdown; it was obviously hard for us to maintain possession, we got turned over a couple of times,” Gray said.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Academy Week team put up an outstanding performance yesterday to convincingly beat Border CD 64-15 in their second match of the tournament.

Wing Siampunga Sindaza scored two tries to pick up the man of the match award as they rebounded from a 14-62 loss to Golden Lions XV in their opening fixture on Tuesday.

They are now likely to face Namibia in their last match of the tournament tomorrow.

Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-18 Craven Week against EP CD

Cody Rensburg, Marcus Nicole, Kudakwashe Mashonga, Dexter Trail, Prince Mupfurutsa, Jack Charsley (captain), Ronald Mirimi, Simbarashe Chingono, Michael Mhute, Leroy Kagodora, Lebukgang Mokuele, Mazvitaishe Nyamarebvu (vice-captain), Tadiwa Muchemwa, Lameck Vheriwa, Tapiwa Marimira
Replacements: Tadiwanashe Mabhudhu, Brendan Mudzikitiri, Rivaldo Kwidini, Ryan Smith, Davin King, Dillon Brain, Tinashe Hombiro

Coach: Scott Gray

Assistant coach: Cleopas Makotose

Team manager: Shaun De Souza

Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-18 Academy Week against Border CD

Takunda Magondo, Brian Chakoma, Brendon Sibanda, Alce Melo, James Owuru, Matthew Owuru, Sean Mupanemunda (captain), Louis Du Plessis, Joshua Allardice, Anesu Haki, Takudzwa Siyawamwaya, Takunda Machaya, Edwin Mutseyekwa, Siampunga Sindaza, Taine Roelofsz

Replacements: Adrian Zivanai, Kundai Mashingaidze, Thokozani Mrewa, Takudzwa Mutukumira, Nigel Tinarwo, Innocent Mpariwa, Sean Maenzanise

Coach: Basil Dingiswayo

Assistant coach: Tatenda Museba

Team manager: Simbarashe Dangah
— @Mdawini_29.

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