Sebastain Garikai Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival director
Paul Munyuki Sports Reporter—
ONE way traffic characterised the morning games on Day Two of the Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival with most of the local teams winning against the foreign teams that are gracing the event. Quite a number of mismatches were witnessed, taking away some of the glamour from the festival where strength for strength competition was expected.
First were Namibia Technicon who thrashed Plumtree School 50-3, St Johns College made light work of Allan Wilson 28-5, LKC Botswana were thrashed 80-0 by Churchill School while Peterhouse dismissed Botswana Under-19 47-0.
This means that Windhoek are the only foreign team that managed to pick winning points against any local side as the duo of Botswana sides LKC College and their national Under-19 side failed to rise to the occasion.
Festival director Sebastain Garikai says they could not predict how the foreign teams were going to play and so it became difficult for them to pair teams strength for strength.
“We really want tams to be paired based on potential and ability but the fact that we would not be sure of the foreign teams performances or potential makes it difficult on us.
“But we were sure of Windhoek because we (Prince Edward School) played them during our of Southern Africa and we were sure of their potential and we thought Plumtree would be an equally good match.
“As for LKC it was not just a matter of one way traffic really because Churchill are plying some god rugby and they were rewarded for tier hard work. I also feel that the scores are not a real reflection of how the games went,” said Garikai
And it was because of these mismatches that the festival proved rather very quiet, unexciting and the crowds were only left to look forward to the afternoon games .
Hosts Prince Edward are set to take on Lomagundi College but not much is actually expected from the Chinhoyi side who have not been in good form of late.
The penultimate game of the day pitting Eaglesvale against Falcon College is expected to be the highlight of the day while the final game between St Georges College and Kyle College could be another mismatch.
Having narrowly lost to Falcon College last year, Eaglesvale School are looking forward to their battle against the Esigodini based-school on day two of the Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival today.
Eaglesvale lost 5-12 to Falcon College at the schools festival last year.
But there is more to the game than Eaglesvale trying to turn the tables as this marks a clash of two of Zimbabwe’s top ranked coaches.
Eaglesvale are coached by Sables assistant coach Cyprian “Supa” Mandenge while Falcon College are blessed to have the technical expertise of Zimbabwe Rugby Union director of rugby Liam Middleton.
Results
First XV: Windhoek Technicon 50, Plumtree 3; Allan Wilson 5, St Johns College 28; LKC Botswana 0, Churchill 80; Vainona 10, Goromonzi 14; Marondera 0, Milton 35; Conway 19, PE II 10; Murehwa 8, Milton 44; Gifford 10, Watershed 10; Boulawayo Select 11, Mutare 3; Victoria High 7, BMC 12; Chinhoyi 12, St Johns Chikwaka 0.
Under-16: Murehwa 25, Heritage 19; Goromonzi 31, Kutama 7; Royal College 0, Prince Edward 27; Chinhoyi 5, Victoria High 5; Mabvuku 0, Highfield 7; Muriimwe 24, Morgan 5; Hillcrest 0, Prince Edward 36.