 underlined their title credentials in the season-opening Nedbank Rugby Challenge Cup after producing a solid display to stun rivals Harare Sports Club 32-23 in the second round of matches at Old Georgians Sports Club on Saturday.){kind=link}
Old Georgians (OGs) underlined their title credentials in the season-opening Nedbank Rugby Challenge Cup after producing a solid display to stun rivals Harare Sports Club 32-23 in the second round of matches at Old Georgians Sports Club on Saturday.
Matchday two in the Nedbank Rugby Challenge proved to be a highly entertaining affair with the Groombridge based side OGs stealing the show against Harare Sports Club in the main match of the day.
Matches between the two Harare-based giants have always been closely contested affairs and certainly lived up to its billing.
With the Nedbank Rugby Challenge Cup also serving as preparation for the Currie Cup First Division, where Zimbabwe will play as the Goshawks, a good number of players raised their hands for selection, notably OGs’ scrum-half Carlos Matamana who was swift at recycling and disturbing the ball.
Harare sports club started the match like a house fire dominating in all aspects of the match, especially at set-pieces and breakdowns in which they inflicted a lot of turnovers.
Fullback Tadius “Boxer” Whata punished the hosts with three quick penalties while OGs replied with one penalty courtesy of Jeremiah Jaravaza.
The first try of the match came from the hosts when towering lock Takunda Kundishora crashed over the whitewash but Jaravaza failed to add the extras cutting the deficit to one point.
Sportivo, as Harare Sports Club are affectionately known stretched their lead to eight points through a beautiful try by flank Kudakwashe Nyamakura who exploited a huge gap in OGs defence and was converted by Whata
OGs made sure they finished the first half within touching distance as they replied immediately with a converted try by inside centre Munesu Muneta
In the second half, the host emerged with more purpose as they managed to score three tries and a penalty
Harare sports only managed to trouble the scores at the death when outside centre Kudzai Mashawi crashed over but it was a case of already too late.
In the other Nedbank Rugby Challenge Cup match, Old Hararians beat Harare select 36-14.