Mutare Boys’ High and Vainona High schools fired warning shots on the opening day of the 14th edition of the annual Cottco Schools Rugby festival after posting emphatic wins at Prince Edward High School yesterday.
Mutare Boys’ High, a former powerhouse in Manicaland, woke up from their recent slumber to thrash Ellis Robbins 50-8 at the Jubilee Field.
In past seasons, Mutare Boys’ used to play alongside the traditional rugby-playing schools on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Poor results in recent seasons saw them relegated to the less fashionable days.
Earlier at the Jubilee Field Vainona High School recorded the biggest win of the festival opening day after wallopping Chinhoyi High 70-0 in a completely one-sided affair.
Vainona, who have become a feeder school for the famed Mbare Rugby Academy, are now coached by former Young Sables coach Nsikelelo “Sykes” Sibanda.
Judging by yesterday’s perfomance by Vainona, the input of the experienced coach seems to have transformed them into a competitive outfit.
In other matches St John’s Emerald High won the battle of the St John’s schools after dismissing St John’s Chikwaka 20-3 in a match delayed after both teams had gone to the field wearing identical jerseys.
Canborne High drew 7-7 with Mzilikazi High School from Bulawayo, while Lord Malvern dismissed Zengeza 19-3.
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Western Suburbs drew 10-10 with South Eastern College.
Highfield showed how rugby was improving in the high-density suburbs after a shock 12-0 victory over Marlborough High.
The girls’ matches produced more tight affairs with Girls’ High School needing a solitary unconverted try to dismiss George Stark 5-0 while Roosevelt Girls’ dismissed Eaglesvales girls’ team 10-0. The festival today enters the second day with the traditional rugby-playing schools playing their first matches.
In some of the potentially exciting matches lined up for today, Peterhouse College locks horns with Midlands Christian College.
A confident St George’s College team, which recently won all its matches during a tour of South Africa, will have what looks like an easy opening match when it takes on Heritage College.
Hosts Prince Edward take on Lomagundi College while Churchill Boys’ High, who dominated last year’s schools league, will take on Falcon College.
