ST JOHN’S College scored five tries to beat Eaglesvale 27-5 as the local schoolboy rugby giants came to the party on the second day of the Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival at Prince Edward School in Harare yesterday.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
However, the annual schools rugby fiesta might have been robbed of some gloss following the withdrawal of Peterhouse after one of their players’ parents was involved in an accident on their way to the festival.
Peterhouse were expected to take on Prince Edward in a potentially explosive encounter, but the hosts ended up playing their second-string side in a hastily arranged encounter.
However, before Peterhouse’s withdrawal, it was St Johns College who stole the limelight with a dominant perfomance against an Eaglesvale side which was expected to put on a strong fight following their performances last year.
St John’s College took the game to their opponents as they opened the scoring courtesy of an early try by wing Mufaro Mpisaunga.
Despite losing aggressive lock Nick Wilson to the sin-bin, St Johns maintained the upper hand in the contest as their backline exhibited some silky skills which kept their opponents on the back foot.
Eaglesvale literally had no answers to the potent backline as the Rams, as St Johns are affectionately known, further stretched their lead with another try by fullback Ryan Boshi to take a 10-0 lead at the break.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
St John’s continued their dominance in the second half as they managed three more tries, including a brilliant individual effort by man of the match Cameron Harrison, who crashed over the Eaglesvale defence to score.
Eaglesvale’s only try of the match right at the end of the game through winger Ganizani Chiku came as scant consolation. Zimbabwe-born former Scotland International Scott Gray, who is in his second season at St Johns College after moving from Peterhouse, said he was pleased with his team’s performance.
“I was happy with the boys’ perfomance today. They played with some passion and intensity against a good side. Eaglesvale are very fit and fast, but I’m happy we did enough to win the match,” Gray said.
“I was disappointed that we conceded a try at the end. It was due to lack of fitness, but we will continue working hard to improve.”
In other matches yesterday, St George’s College beat Midlands Christain College 48-12, while Kyle College steamrolled 43-0 Allan Wilson.
Lomagundi comfortably saw off Ellis Robbins 45-0, while Hillcrest edged past Petra High 12-14 in a closely contested encounter.
Other Selected Results:
Watershed 19-08 Marlborough, Livingstone-Kolobeng College (Botswana) 27-08 Mutare Boys, Gifford 41-12 Heritage, Benard Mzeki 18-03 Kutama, Plumtree 38-05 Gateway, Milton 06-25 Vainona, Marondera 24-08 Victoria High, St Ignatius 05-08 Goromonzi, Murewa 00-54 St John’s High, Mazowe 21-03 St John’s Chikwaka Under-16s: Heritage 03-36 Lomagundi, Kyle 14-38 MCC, Prince Edward 28-00 Petra, Watershed 43-07 St George’s, Goromonzi 22-15 Mazowe, Eaglesvale 22-05 St John’s High, Allan Wilson 17-22 Hillcrest, St John’s College 67-10 Milton, Mbare Academy 21-00 Kutama, Churchill 24-06 Gifford, Gateway 10-24 Plumtree
Today’s Fixtures
Jubilee Field: Mzilikazi v Glen Norah (0800), Lord Malvern v Sobukazi (0900), Girls High School v Dzivarasekwa 1 (1000), Atexis v Chaplin High (1100), Roosevelt v George Stark (1200), Herentals v Western Suburbs (1300), Eaglesvale 2nd v Prince Edward 2nd (1400), Mt Pleasant v St John’s 2nd (1500), Trust Academy v Oriel Boys (1600)
Avenues Field: Christ Ministries v St Pauls (0800), BP Study Centre v Dzivarasekwa 2 (0900), Harare High v Tafara 1 (1000), Entumbane v Zengeza 1 (1100), Cranborne v Highfield 1 (1200), Budiriro 1 v Kuwadzana 2 (1300), Tynwald High v Royal College (1400), Kuwadzana 1 v Morgan High (1500), Kambuzuma 2 v Presbyterian (1600)
Chapel Field: Chipindura v Nhowe (0800), Conway v Marlborough (0900), Chinhoyi v Goldridge (1000), Chipadze v Mufakose 2 (1100), St Columbus v Zengeza 4 (1200), Vhengere v Marist (1300), Prince Edward U-17 v Mabvuku U-17 (1400), Chindunduma U17 v St John’s U17 (1500)
Rhodes Field – Girls: Mbare High v Kuwadzana 1 (0800), Kuwadzana 2 v Amhlophe (0900), Vainona v Tafara 2 High (1000), Sobukazi v Herentals (1100), Hatfield v Queen Elizabeth (1200), Morgan High v Highfield High 1 (1300), Goromonzi v Mt Pleasant (1400), Mabvuku v Harare High (1500), Tafara 1 v Zengeza High 1 (1600)
