ZIMBABWE A Rugby side emerged 46-30 victors against the Manicaland Province select side in a tightly contested battle at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
Although Zimbabwe A dominated possession, they faced a tough challenge from the spirited Manicaland team, who took advantage of their opponents’ indiscipline to take an early lead.
The visiting team’s vocal supporters from Mutare cheered them on as they converted three penalty kicks, but Zimbabwe A’s superior ball-handling and aerial skills eventually paid off. They applied pressure on Manicaland’s defence, resulting in several tries.
However, Manicaland’s attacking flair and opportunistic play kept them in the contest.
Despite a few turnovers and some defensive lapses from Zimbabwe A, Manicaland managed to score three tries, making it a close match for much of the game.
Zimbabwe A’s coach, Piet Benade, used the match as an opportunity to give new players a chance and experiment with different combinations ahead of their upcoming tours to Dubai and North Korea. The match against Manicaland was a valuable opportunity for Benade to assess the squad’s strengths and weaknesses.
The stakes will be even higher in the next two weeks, as Zimbabwe A faces off against the Zimbabwe Under-20 select side in a two-match series.
