Ismail Dhakaba Kigongo
16 June 2011
Uganda Rugby Cranes will remain in the Africa Cup group 1B for at least another year after Zimbabwe earned promotion to 1A yesterday.
The southerners sealed the deal with a commanding 49-0 rout of Madagascar at Kyadondo RFC much to the dismay of the home fans.
Losing 25-15 to Zimbabwe on Sunday took it out of Uganda’s hands leaving Madagascar Markis to act as unlikely saviours.
The islanders were never good for this life-saving mission when Sables flanker Njabulo Ndlovu opened the floodgates with a try on 25 minutes.
Wing Lloyd Machanjare added another before just the break. Fly-half Tichafara Makwanya obliged with a conversion. It hardly mattered that the latter had missed three penalties inside the first 40 minutes as the Zimbabweans led 12-0.
“We struggled in the first few minutes,” an overjoyed Sables captain Daniel Hondo said.
Despite having a few scares from half-hearted breakaways for the islanders, Zimbabwe rained in a further seven tries.
Man of the match Shingai Mpofu turned on the style with two touch-downs inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half to bury any hopes of a comeback.
Wing Gardner Nichoronga (2), a contender for player of the tournament, Machanjare, Norman Mukondiwa and Shayne Makombe added more salt to Uganda’s wound.
“I am so happy. We had never won two straight games. I thank all our fans who saw us through this,” centre Hondo said in gesture appreciating about 15 Zimbabweans in the stands.
Not far from them were Rugby Cranes players. They now know that a return to group 1A that has Namibia, Kenya, Tunisia and Morocco is now far off.
Ivory Coast were automatically relegated to group 2A after skipping the tournament due to recent political upheaval.
Only pride and enhancing the International Rugby Board ranking will be at stake when the Rugby Cranes face Madagascar’s Markis on Saturday.
AllAfrica – All the Time
Excerpt from:
Uganda: Zimbabwe Seal Deal