HIGHLANDS Junior School rugby team are the inaugural winners of the Dairibord Primary Tournament after beating Gwinyai Primary School 17 -10 in the final at Prince Edward School in Harare on Wednesday.
After proving too strong in every game they played, Highlands always looked like title challengers but were pushed all the way by a resolute Gwinyai Primary side in the final with Chipindura settling for third position.
Highlands coach Passion Kamwemba said the tournament was a good platform to nurture future rugby stars. “This is a good setup for future rugby and when players come to Prince Edward and play in Jubilee it builds confidence. It would be a good move for Zimbabwe rugby to have a similar festival for primary schools,” said Kamwemba.
Gwinyai Daniel Wasili said the tournament had given his players an opportunity to showcase their talent. “I’m happy for my young players. To come second in their first ever participation in a tournament like this is a good achievement. As a team coming from Mbare we hardly play more games compared to the other team and need more of these tournaments,” he said.
The primary schools tournament is a new addition in the Schools Rugby Festival programme which this year attracted over 200 secondary schools team from around the country. These are some of the primary schools which participated namely ZRP, Highlands, Gwinyai, Avondale, Chipindura, Blackstone, Braeside, Lewisam, Landpark, Borrowdale and Selborne. Manhattan Leisure Group partnered with Dairibord Zimbabwe in sponsoring Primary schools rugby tournament.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, the managing director of Manhattan Takudzwa Senah said: “The tournament is going to be one of our social responsibility programmes and we are looking forward to sponsor trophies, medals and rugby kits to primary schools.”
