Top teams set stage for rugby semi finals challenge
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday June 18, 2024 09:11
The league defending champions, Hogs, are currently seating at the top of the men’s 15 league table. It was not an easy victory for Cheetahs as they had to dig deep to pull maximum points from stubborn Canon Jaguars with a convincing score of 10-0. It was a game of heavyweight hits and high-octane action with Jaguars always finding themselves on the receiving end. The army side brought the usual experienced players such as Ketshidile Matenanga, Omphile Dabula, Kabelo Sebabi with Kagiso Molefhi coming in as a substitute.
However, Jaguars led by the high-flying Tafadzwa Ncube had no respect for the army side because that is a tune that they have danced to before. Meanwhile, Wildebeests continued their good run in the league, beating BIUST 36-10 in a match played in Palapye. Since the beginning of the season, the side lost only one match to Rhinos, went on to beat defending league champions, Hogs, in Jwaneng, travelled to Maun and beat Great North in their own backyard. The Wildebeests now believe that they have what it takes to pull the biggest surprise in the men’s 15 league. Cheetahs coach, Kabo Batsile admitted that Jaguars gave them a tough opposition, because the plan was to dominate in the forwards. Forwards compete for the ball in scrums and line-outs and are generally bigger and stronger than the backs. “I wanted us to dominate in the forwards and I thought our opponents will give up but they were tough. I was also scared about their back line because I hadn't seen them playing before fortunately some players were missing in their backline, which was a bonus for us. They were beating us in the scrums and line-outs, which are the two areas which makes it easier for a win. The reason is that we did not depend on the line-outs,” Batsile said.
He said the win against Jaguars meant a lot and they did not need bonus points but a straight win because they need to be in the top four to progress to the next stage of the league. He explained that they should also work hard to win the next match. During the semi-finals, a team that will be in position one will play a team in position four while position three and two will battle it out. Regarding his aging squad, Batsile said he has a lot of young players that he is developing but he cannot play them at the moment. “I am building and competing at the same time. I cannot risk to field all new players, it will be tactical suicide. If I put only new players, they will make mistakes, so I still have to work with them first. In the match against Jaguars, I had four of them inside, I now have a feel of the game. As time goes, I will keep introducing them,” he said. Meanwhile, Botswana Rugby Union (BRU) secretary-general, Osi Kopano, said so far there has not been any team that has pulled any surprise act.