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Namibia sneak past fighting Zimbabwe

Sport
The Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-13 rugby team conceded a try with seconds remaining in the match, as they suffered a heart-breaking five-point loss to Namibia on the penultimate day of the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week at Grey College, in Bloemfontein, South Africa, yesterday.

Zimbabwe U13 ……..(5) 10 Namibia U13 ……… (10)(15)

The Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-13 rugby team conceded a try with seconds remaining in the match, as they suffered a heart-breaking five-point loss to Namibia on the penultimate day of the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week at Grey College, in Bloemfontein, South Africa, yesterday.

BY DANIEL NHAKANISO IN BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA

With the match seemingly headed for a hard-fought stalemate, Namibia winger, Suramie Kambombo dived in the corner to score a last-gasp try and condemn Zimbabwe to their second defeat of the five-day-long festival.

The Namibians, who have beaten Zimbabwe over the last four years in this competition, took charge from the outset to force their way over the advantage line, which earned them two first-half tries through Kambombo and explosive centre, Julius Jurenzo.

The Old Mutual Junior Sables soon overcame the early jitters, as some crunching tackles by the forwards laid a solid foundation upfront and their backs ran hard on attack and snuffed out the gaps in the defence.

This resulted in two tries by scrumhalf, Connor Grant at the stroke of halftime and winger, Brendon Jameson early in the second half.

Zimbabwe did have opportunities to snatch a famous win, but Namibia dug deep to secure a hard-fought victory much to the disappointment of the cheering parents.

Old Mutual Junior Sables coach, Gordon Pangeti was disappointed with the result, but praised his charges for fighting hard until the end.

“It was a bitter pill to swallow because this is the fourth straight year that we have lost to them (Namibia) by either a try or right at the end of the game,” he said.

“The boys were probably nervous in the first 10 minutes, but after that they regathered and stuck their hearts, so I can’t fault them in any way.”

Yesterday’s defeat was the Zimbabwe Under-13 side’s second in as many matches after going down 66-7 to Leopards, having overcome Border Country Districts 41-0 in the first match.

The focus will now shift to the Zimbabwe Under-16 side, who take on Namibia today in their final game of the Under-16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week at the same venue.

The Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-16 side were hammered 71-19 by host province Free State in the first match before recovering to beat Border Country Districts U-16s 45-0 on Wednesday.