Prince Edward (24) 28 Churchill . . . (0) 8
PRINCE Edward School got their revenge on their arch-rivals Churchill in spectacular fashion, registering a comfortable 24-8 victory in an intriguing contest at the Jubilee Field which brought the curtain down on this year’s edition of the Dairiboard Schools’ Rugby Festival yesterday.
BY KENNEDY NYAVAYA
A clinical first half show ensured a win for the Tigers who after converting a first-minute penalty took advantage of the shaky defence on their opponents’ left wing to run-in three more tries which their flyhalf Tinashe Hombiro successfully converted.
The tries came through tighthead prop Zvikomborero Chimoto, eighthman Godfrey Muzanarwo and the team’s captain, lock Malvin Nyakuedzwa.
Apart from a defence malfunction and undetermined attacking, the Churchill Bulldogs also let themselves down with ball errors for the better part of the first half, trailing 24-0.
Whatever orders Geoff Madhake (Churchill coach) barked to his troops seemed to have worked well as they came back more composed after the breather.
Their defence line came back more solid as they managed to maintain a stalemate, only to respond to the Tigers’ assault with a penalty conversion 15 minutes into the second half.
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Although injuries to their fullback threatened to stretch the margin, the Bulldogs managed to contain the pressure before scoring a consolation try which somehow made the defeat a noble one.
Prince Edward coach Sean De Souza said apart from age-cheating worries he had raised prior to the match, his boys played according to the strategy.
“I spoke to them before the game and told them we are here to play whoever comes in front of us,” said De Souza, adding that his opponents presented a good game as well.
“We knew we would face a good Churchill team and it happened that we won with a big margin but we still made mistakes”.
Madhake was gracious in defeat: “PE played well and they were the better side today, I can’t take anything away from them and make excuses, there is always going to be a winner and a loser”.
