Border CD Under-13  . .. . . . . . . .(0) 0

Old Mutual Zimbabwe U13. . .(22) 41

The Junior Sables got their Coca-Cola Craven Week campaign off to the most perfect start possible by convincingly battering a top South African provincial side in the opening match of the festival at Grey College here on Monday.

The boys are not only looking sharp but also appear destined for greater achievements in the tournament especially after Tan Dinhidza, the team manager, refused to draw satisfaction from the result, imploring his charges to work even harder in their next fixture on Tuesday.

“The boys were nervous although they played well. But there were a few ball handling errors I suppose due to the fact that this was our first game. Going forward we have to cut out those mistakes and so we are going to prepare twice as hard for our next fixture,’’ Dinhidza told Sportszone.

Coached by Gordon Pangeti, the Zimbabweans however proved too strong for Border Country Districts with a highly mobile back row and powerful forwards who did not lose a single ball in loose play.

Tasimbiswa Kadziyanike of St John’s College top-scored with three of Zimbabwe’s seven tries while his schoolmate Andrew Robinson converted thrice.

Heritage College’s Kelton Kaseke, Tapuwanashe Chakuchichi from Lomagundi College, Falcon College’s Luke Pritchard and another St John’s boy Tawana Machawi recorded the other touchdowns for the Old Mutual Junior Sables.

Zimbabwe Rugby Union president Nyararai Sibanda was among the spectators on the Zimbabwe terrace that was occupied by several parents and other well-wishers based in the Free State capital of Bloemfontein.

Sibanda lauded the progress Zimbabwe has made so far in the SA Rugby Youth Week after the Junior Pangolins, the national Under-18 girls team, for the first time won all their three fixtures at the women’s festival that ended in Welkom last Friday.

The Coca-Cola Craven Week Under-13 Festival runs concurrently with the Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Under-16 Festival and finishes on Friday when the finals will be staged. A total of 18 teams are participating in each category.