ZIMBABWE rugby international Shingi Mpofu scored his first try for Scottish club Ayr RFC, as they romped to a convincing 40-0 win over Ardrossan Academicals in a RBS West Regional Cup match on Tuesday evening.
REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO SPORTS REPORTER
The former Harare Sports Club flank is still establishing himself at the top-flight Scottish club which is also home to another Zimbabwean international, prop Denford Mutamangira.
While Mutamangira, who was rested for Tuesday’ match, has established himself as a key member of the Ayr side, Mpofu is yet to stake a claim to a regular jersey.
Mpofu will be hoping that his try will go a long way in endearing him to the AYR head coach Kenny Murray and his coaching staff who were using the match to assess some of the fringe players at the club.
According to reports from Scotland, Mpofu, who captained the Sables team in two of their matches at the Emirates Airline Cup of Nations in Dubai last December, notched his try in the first half as Ayr went to the break with a 21-0 lead in freezing conditions.
The Scottish giants, who last year reached the final of the RBS Scottish Cup, got further tries from Kerr Gossman, Cammy Taylor, Robbie Fergusson and Graham Fisken while flyhalf Finn Russell was also impressive from the kicking tee.
The match was, however, called off with a few minutes to go due to the freezing conditions at the venue. It was not clear if the match would be rescheduled to a later date.
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Mpofu, a 26-year-old former Churchill schoolboy, has an impressive resume which dates back to 2004 when he represented Zimbabwe Schools in the Coca-Cola Craven Week in South Africa.
He was named vice-captain for Zimbabwe at the inaugural Under-19 World Junior Championships in South Africa the following year.
Mpofu has a National League title with Harare Sports Club under his belt and was a key member of the Sables squad which lifted the African rugby title in Tunisia last year.
He is also expected to play an integral part in the Sables’ set-up when they defend their African title in Madagascar in July.
