Pro Elite Rugby Academy’s stock continues to rise after another impressive showing on Friday at Old Georgians Sports Club, where the Squad of Excellency hosted a rugby festival for Under-9 and Under-11 age groups.
The festival featured teams from St Michael’s, Shaun De Sousa Academy, Squad of Excellency Academy, Direct Contact, NPS, and Pro Elite.
In the Under-9 section, Pro Elite scooped silver after a hard fought 10-0 loss to the Squad of Excellency in the final.
Despite the scoreline, the match was fiercely contested and the result didn’t reflect the intensity and competitiveness on display.
The Under-11 team went a step further, claiming gold with a dominant 30-0 win over St Michael’s in the final. They also swept the individual awards in the Under-11 category.
Tapiwa Makamure was named Best Try Scorer, while Sandile Kona walked away with the Best Forward Player award.
Zimbuzz caught up with Pro Elite coach Promise Chinyunyu, who praised his team’s performance and the value of such tournaments.
“It was a great tournament for us, and overall, events like these help us grow as Zimbabwean rugby. I was really impressed with the boys,” he said.
“Sandile Kona deserved the forward player award. His carries were immense, and he tackled hard. Tapiwa Makamure scored nearly three quarters of our tries. At Under-9, it was unfortunate we missed out on gold, but the boys played well.”
Chinyunyu also thanked the academy’s sponsors: Honey Dew Pharmacy, Chems Africa, Budget Health Medical Aid Society, Ritz and Thelm, Ariella Guest Lodge, and Gleam Clearing and Logistics, for their continued support.
Pro Elite Academy Chairman Arthur Kona also expressed his pride in the academy’s progress.
“When we started, the goal was simply to get kids active. Now, we’ve grown from five players to over 80 kids in the academy.
Winning silver and gold at the Squad of Excellency Festival is a true testament to the hard work of both our coaches and administration.”
Pro Elite’s next assignment will be at the end of August, when they travel to KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, for an Under-13 Sevens tournament at Michaelhouse.
Festival Results:
Under-9 (Pro Elite):
- Pro Elite 10–0 Squad of Excellency (2)
- Pro Elite 20–5 St Michael’s
- Pro Elite 5–0 Squad of Excellency
- Semi-final: Pro Elite 10–0 Squad of Excellency (2)
- Final: Pro Elite 0–10 Squad of Excellency
Under-11 Green Team (Pro Elite):
- Pro Elite Green 10–0 Shaun De Sousa Rugby
- Pro Elite Green 10–5 Squad of Excellency
- Pro Elite Green 20–0 NPS
- Final: Pro Elite Green 30–0 St Michael’s
Under-11 Black Team (Pro Elite):
- Pro Elite Black 15–10 NPS
- Pro Elite Black 10–5 Squad of Excellency
- Pro Elite Black 0–0 St Michael’s <This message was edited>
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