01/08/2017
Due to the main Jubilee field at PE being waterlogged we had to play the curtain raisers for the Zimbabwe - Tunisia game on the Chapel Field.
It was a very tense game and for a neutral was a great game to watch. Old Miltonians started the game off at a great pace and were the first on the board almost from kick off with a converted try. OJs were a bit shell shocked at this and took a few minutes to settle but managed to keep the Bulawayo side from scoring until we started to put together some attacks of our own and after some good forward play centre Warwick Hattingh dotted over for an unconverted try. The team took heart from this and after a string of rucks 8th man Leon Van Der Westhuizen scored our 2nd try, also unconverted. The half ended with another unconverted try from flanker Byron Foroma to leave the score at 15-7 in OJs favour.
OMs began the half with renewed energy and attacked with a lot of passion. OJs seemed to be at a loss at how to deal with this pressure and let in 2 converted tries to give OMs the lead 21-15. The bonus point try was scored for OJs, by centre Masimba Muzenda, but was also unconverted so OMs still led by a point. Both teams now started a very tense game which was rooted in the OJs half as OMs pushed for the bonus point try. OJs defense stood up well though and prevented any more points being added to the OMS score.
The OJs forwards played a very good game, contesting the rucks and mauls without giving away penalties and the backs, when they managed to get possession were making some good runs into OMs territory. One such attack resulted in Tatenda Ngomasha breaking through the OMs defensive line and score in the corner, he was hgh tackled over the line though so the ref awarded a penalty try in the last 5 minutes to give OJs a 27-21 lead and the final play of the day was another fine run by full back Tatenda Ngomasha to score the 6th and final try to leave the score at 32-21 as the ref blew the whistle when the conversion flew wide of the poles.
The 4th win in a row for OJS leaves us on 21 points on the log where we leapfrog OMs to take 7th place, 2 points behind Mat Warriors who are on 23 points after they lost to OH 26-7 in the match after our game. Our next game is another Bulawayo side either Mat Warriors in Byo or the return match against Highlanders in Harare.
