Club overcomes countries in Africa

 

Rustenburg, who were invited by the Confederation of African Rugby to represent South Africa at the IRB-sanctioned tournament that also featured hosts Botswana, Mauritius, Swaziland and Zambia, finished top of the six-team log with a full house of 15 points.

 

The Rustenburg miners opened their campaign with a 61-17 win over Mauritius on the opening day and followed it up with a 54-9 victory over their hosts in their second match.

 

Mauritius and Botswana both finished the tournament on 10 points, but thanks to a better points difference it is the Indian Ocean islanders who will be promoted to the 1B group for the next cycle of African Rugby World Cup qualifying, where they will meet, amongst others, Senegal and Ivory Coast.

 

“Impala were great ambassadors for South African rugby and it was wonderful to see our club players being given a chance to test themselves against international opposition,” said SARU CEO, Jurie Roux. 

 

“I think this would also have helped those African countries they played against, as they will now go back home and identify ways to improve.

 

“South Africa has a duty to help raise the level of rugby across the continent and perhaps in years to come we might look back on Rustenburg's involvement in Gaborone as the start of something positive.”

 

 

Rustenburg 61-17 Mauritius

Botswana 87-0 Swaziland

Nigeria 20-30 Zambia

 

Botswana 9-54 Rustenburg 

Nigeria 61-10 Swaziland

Zambia 17-54 Mauritius

 

Rustenburg 86-10 Nigeria

Botswana 66-14 Zambia

Mauritius 134-0 Swaziland