Livingstone Kolobeng College (LKC) has won the prestigious Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA) 2012 rugby league. This means LKC are this year’s champions, adding to their other title the ‘Botswana Rugby Union 10s’ Tournament Champion’ which they won in April 2012.
The boys clinched the BISA title at the weekend, in a tough game against Selibe-Phikwe Senior Secondary School at Wharic Park in Gaborone. They walloped the Phikwe side 17-0.
The Jaguar’s manager, Feddious Mutenheri, said the boys performed excellently despite injuries from a previous game with their arch rival Maruapula at the semi finals two days earlier.
“We took into cognisance the fact that Selibe-Phikwe is coached by the Under 19 National team coach, Mr Tosca Segaise, and that they play a real physical game. Despite that we managed to use our forward-pack to stand fort against the physical side. Our back-line did the running and got us the win,” said Mutenheri.
The game saw LKC’s first try in the first 20 minutes by Captain Kyle Tsiane.
“After a brilliant break by the eighth-man, Takunda Nyakudya, who ran on the blind side finding the fly-half, Tafadzwa Zvasiya, who released the ball to the first center, Kyle dived into the try box to give us the first five points. In the second half, Tafadzwa did a grabber over the Phikwe back-line which was fumbled by the Phikwe full-back. The fast back-line chased and formed a ruck.
From the ruck Jaguars played the ‘blackball’ from scrum-half Thabang Moepi to Tafadzwa down the line to find the second center Tinodashe Banhire who easily ran through the Phikwe defence to give his team a second try. Again, Tafadzwa easily converted to make the score 14-nil.”
The team manager went on to say in the next three minutes, they were awarded a penalty because the Selibe-Phikwe team was desperate and one of their players dived into the ruck. The referee, ‘Tiger’, called for a penalty. LKC opted to kick for post and Tafadzwa easily converted to give his team three more points.
Mutenheri congratulated his team coach, Dent Patrick, for the well deserved victory.
“He worked tirelessly to earn his team this victory,” he said commending the coach. Last Thursday, LKC walloped Maruapula 5-nil at the semi finals of the league. The Maruapula game, according to Mutenheri was a tough one.
“The game was not going to be won with a great margin, but as usual, LKC had a brilliant moment which they utilised. That was the one try which earned LKC a place in the finals,” said Mutenheri.
In their streak of victory, the boys had also defeated Tutume McConnell College at the quarter- finals by 28-nil. Prior to their encounter with McConnell College, the team had walloped many schools in the BRU League. The Jaguars had defeated Naledi Senior Secondary School 30-nil.
In another match, they managed to face off St Josephs 27-nil and proceeded to beat Legae Academy 15-7.
The Jaguar’s victory comes a long way. The team was established in 2007, just a year after the college officially resumed operation. They went under the spotlight in 2008 after participating in the BRU League finals. The team, which was then coached by Taku Mhonda and Mutenheri as its manager, surprised many when it participated in the Powerade 10’s Senior Boys Schools tournament and emerged in third position.
Later that year, the boys came second in the Botswana Schools Rugby League.
