Main cup Buffaloes 21-10 Grizzlies Shield Sharks 14-0 Lion de fer Despite winning the Kigali 7s on Saturday, Buffaloes head coach Gerald Nsenga reckons that his team’s dominance of rugby in the country is under threat. The Remera based side thumped a young Grizzlies side 21-10 to win the main cup at Rugunga playground in a thrilling match that was witnessed by a big crowd. Fly half Eric Mbarushimana and scrum half Benjamin Makombe gave the league leaders the lead with a try each in the first half, but Grizzlies coach Alphonse Umugire’s half time talk seemed to have rejuvenated his charges with Right blind winger Ignace Nsanzimana scoring a try in the first few minutes of the second half. The Butare based side then kept up the pressure and equalized the score after Scrum Half Stephen Mutasa left the Buffaloes defence panting to score a try. But Buffaloes’s experience proved decisive in the latter stages of the match when Julien Muba and Jean Paul Nsengiyuvwa scored a try and three conversions respectively to put the match beyond reach. Though his team reigned again for the third time this year (Buffaloes have already won the Buffaloes and Sharks 7s), Nsenga admitted that the gap between his team and the other clubs has been narrowed. “We really had to be at our best to win this competition. Grizzlies were fired up and were determined to win this competition. All the other clubs have improved a do,” Nsenga said. Grizzlies took home the Plate for finishing as runners-up, while Sharks beat Lion de fer 14-0 to win the Sheild. Ends
