By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwe clinched their second continental title with a dominant 29-3 win against Algeria in an entertaining Rugby Africa Cup final at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda on Sunday.
There were riotous scenes of joy and delight in the Zimbabwean corner at the final whistle as they celebrated a historic win which came 12 years after their first and only Africa Cup success in 2012.
The Sables went into the final on a high after ending a 23-year winless streak against Namibia in the semifinals.
Namibia had claimed the title for six consecutive years.
Algeria were also equally confident after stunning Kenya in their semifinal clash on Wednesday.
The North Africans also had history on their side having won their previous meeting against Zimbabwe in the 2022 Africa Cup two years ago.
However it was Zimbabwe who got off to the perfect start with a superb try from tearaway right wing, Trevor Gurwe which was successfully converted by Takidzwa Musingwini for a 7-0 lead.
Algeria responded with a penalty from Julien Serge Caminati, to reduce the deficit to 7-3, before a tense period ensued as the North Africans tried to frustrate the Sables with their gamesmanship.
Undetered by the Algerians’ tactics, Zimbabwe further stretched their lead just before the break with Man of the Match Aiden Burnett carrying the ball from the back of the scrum and linking up with Hilton Mudariki, who set up Gurwe who dived over for another try which gave the Sables a 12-3 lead at the break.
Algeria hoped to maintain their record of not conceding in the second half, leading to a cagey start with both sides missing penalty attempts.
The Sables managed to add a three-pointer from the boot of Tapiwa Mafura before scoring a try through replacement hooker Liam Larkam off a maul, to extend their lead to 22-3.
Zimbabwe sealed their victory with a converted try in the dying minutes of the match through Brandon Mudzekenyedzi to seal a 29-3 win.
The team’s exceptional performance throughout the tournament culminated two individual accolades for the team with head coach Pieter Benade being named Coach of the Tournament while Mafura bagged the Player of the Tournament award.
Zimbabwe captain Hilton Mudariki dedicated the victory to their fans.
“This is a dream come true for every player and staff member. We dedicate this victory to the millions of Zimbabweans who have supported us throughout our journey. This is just the beginning, and we are committed to building on this success.
“The Sables never dropped the ball. Namibia was a hard one and I am so proud of how the guys came through focused and dominated in the final. This win is not just for the team, it is for the 16 million Zimbabweans dotted around the world, this is for you,” Mudariki said.