Vultures destroy Eswatini
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday February 27, 2023 16:00
The Vultures started the match on a high note, with Kitso Matija scoring the first try of the match in the sixth minute. Unfortunately fly half, Brandon Van Zyl was unable to connect the conversion. The Vultures led 5-0. The hosts had a brilliant build up from the middle of the park, allowing full back, Ben Strauss to make a run scoring the second try a few minutes later. Van Zyl followed with a neat conversion. The Vultures were now starting to gain confidence and secured a healthy lead. It was becoming clear that Eswatini were struggling in most facets.
The visitors introduced Mlungisi Dlamini in the front line to try and contain the marauding Vultures backline. The change did not have an impact as Vultures hooker, Mpho Raditlopi was registered on the scoreboard in the 20th minute. Van Zyl then converted to extend the lead. Eswatini were now out of depth in this bitty and confrontational contest. The visitors had a chance to register a try from the scrum. The Vultures used the opportunity to make a run through James Vambe who went for a try and Van Zyl converted. As luck will have it, Eswatini grabbed three points from a penalty scored by right centre, Mancoba Dlamini in the 35th minute. The Vultures were on attack a few minutes later as Dillion Petyt grabbed a try to take the match to half time break. The Vultures continued to use straight forward chances that they got in the second half. Eswatini had no response to the questions that the hosts were asking. The injuries that the visitors picked in the first half proved costly as the test match was easily claimed by the host. Destroyed at the scrum, Eswatini were starved of possession and territory and could not muster a comeback. The Vultures coach, Ivor Greaves told Sport Monitor that the preparations for the game were limited because it is pre-season as the league will only begin in March. “It was a privilege to play at home after such a long time. My players were hungry for it and we have not been playing rugby for almost three years. We had young players combined with senior experience,” he said.
Greaves said each opposition brings a different kind of play and what worked against Eswatini will not work against another team. Eswatini gaffer, David Foster said his players have been together for a short period of time. He said he has been working to get players to work together and know their positions. “It was a struggle; my guys tackled all day long, it is all about speed. Botswana had a certain level of fitness; they were always first on the ball,” he said. Foster said they know the weaknesses that they have and they had a challenge of injuries, with three players being lost in the first 20 minutes of the game. He said they are still building rugby in Eswatini and that will take time, same way as Botswana did.
Botswana: 111 Tries: (Matija, Strauss, Raditlopi) Conversion: (Van Zyl) Eswatini: 3 Penalty: Mancoba Dlamini