Resilience 26-12 Kamonyi Pumas

Lion de Fer 29-12 Thousand Hills

Lion de Fer mauled visitors Thousand Hills in a national rugby league game marred by poor officiating and poor playing surface at VTC Butamwa, Mageragere at the weekend.

The visitors led at half time with 8 points after a drop goal from Jean d’Amour Mbonyishuti and two penalties from fly half Carlos Simbi.

However, the game changed in the second half with first centre Marcel Cambara Koko scoring a brace, including a controversial penalty try.

Flanker Daniel Nshimiyimana and fullback Sixbert Maendeleo scored tries that also resulted from suspicious build ups. Lion de Fer Scrum half Jean d’Amour added a penalty and two conversions. Simbi added a drop goal and penalty in the second half but it wasn’t enough.

The Thousand Hills assistant coach/player, Serge Shema, blamed the loss on the uneven playing surface which he says "stifled their passing game” and poor officiating by rookie referee, Moise Fils Habumugisha.

The hosts however defended their ground. "This is what we can manage, no club has a home ground , those which have, they hire, this is where we could manage to host our home matches,” said the Lion de Fer captain, Victorien Umuhire.

Thousand Hills lead the table with 13 points in 5 games, Remera Buffaloes, who have played 2 matches, are second with 9 points but have more tries than Lion de Fer(3 ), who also have 9 points. Kigali Sharks are bottom with 3 points from four matches.

In Rusizi, Resilience stretched their lead on top of the Southern League after demolishing visitors Kamonyi Pumas 27-12.

The hosts scored four tries through scrum-half Samuel Nirere, eight man Bahati Ruguma (2), winger Joel Makwani, 2 conversions from the scrum-half and another from fly half Frederick Ngamijumuremyi.

Kamonyi managed 4 penalties by full back Emmanuel Hatangimana.

Resilience lead the table with 24 points from 5 games, Kamonyi is second with 12 in as many games while UR-Grizzlies have 4 in 3 games and Muhanga are bottom with 3.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw