The Prince Edward Tigers emerged the biggest winner on the last day of the Dairiboard Schools Rugby Festival after mauling bitter rivals, Churchill School 28-8 on Saturday.
In a fiercely contested showdown, the Tigers took control of the match from the kick-off as they scored three tries in the first half to go into the breather leading 24-0.
The tries came through tight head prop Zvikomborero Chimoto, eighth man Godfrey Muzanarwo and the team’s captain, lock Malvin Nyakuedzwa.
Rugby lovers who came in their thousands were treated to spectacular rugby as the match between the two old rivals was the most anticipated of the festival.
The hosts were in fine form as they terrorized the Bulldogs slow and error prone defence.
Churchill came back in the second looking like well organised as they sought to score a consolation try of their own.
With 10 minutes left on the clock, the Bulldogs scored a penalty and a converted try in quick succession but it was a little too late as the match ended 28-8 in favor of the Tigers after they responded with a try after Churchill had scored.
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 as he said “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,”
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.
