MRFB season closes, 3 games at Hartsfield ground

THE curtain comes down on the Matabeleland Rugby Football Board (MRFB) league with three matches to be played at the Bulawayo home of rugby, Hartsfield Rugby Ground, this afternoon.

Action will kick off with a ladies curtain raiser clash pitting the Police Bulldogs against Msiteli at 12.30pm.

The third and fourth playoff follows after an hour with Old Miltonians meeting the Police Bulldogs while in the finals Western Panthers take on Matabeleland Warriors to bring to an end the 2016 local league campaign. The entry charge is $1. The rugby league started with six teams including two out of town clubs Midlands State University and Ancient City Rugby Club from Masvingo. The two teams later pulled out citing lack of funds to travel from their respective bases to Bulawayo to fulfil fixtures.

Meanwhile, the MRFB is in talks with Botswana rugby officials to organise a two-legged tournament in Bulawayo and Gaborone next month.

The talks were initiated by MRFB fixtures secretary Simba Danga, who is also a rugby referee, when he was officiating at a tournament in the neighbouring country last week.

“Our Botswana counterparts are very keen on playing a Matabeleland Select side once their rugby season closes at the end of the month. We will write to the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to seek permission to host Botswana as well travel to that country,” said MRFB chairman Thulani Tabulawa.

The MRFB boss said they have not yet come up with an exact date for the first match to be played at Hartsfield but indicated that it will be played in September with the return leg set for Gaborone a week later.

The Matabeleland Select team will be drawn from the four local clubs Old Miltonians, Western Panthers, Matabeleland Warriors and Police Bulldogs.