The Mzwandile Mali Memorial Festival
The Mzwandile Mali Memorial Easter Festival
Itembelihle are currently playing in the Mzwandile Mali Memorial Easter Festival in Wolfson Stadium, KwaZakhele, Port Elizabeth, with 16 schools taking part in a tournament sponsored by Standard Bank and Lincoln Mali, in commemoration of his late father.
Both Lincoln and his brother, JAB, played for Theo Pieterse of Itembelihle in the 1980s! It was by chance that they met again. Lincoln was watching television one night, when he saw Pieterse and the school side taking part in a competition and then decided to contact Pieterse for a possible sponsorship, and the result is this Easter Tournament – six teams last year and 16 this year and set to grow in time to come!
The tournament started on the 20 March with play-offs for quarterfinal positions. Eight teams went through to the quarterfinals. Of the eight Itembelihle, KwaZakhele High, Molly Blackburn and Solomon Mahlangu qualified for the semi-finals.
Itembelihle defeated Thamsanqa 31-3 in the play-offs and then ran into a determined Mzontsundu outfit in a very physical battle with a few of Itembelihle players having to leave the field for treatment. Itembelihle eventually won by 14-3.
In the semifinals Itembelihle played the strong KwaZakhele team and initially struggled to contain their powerful runners. Itembelihle were first to score, when fullback Lutho Mdudo dived over in the corner for an unconverted try. This was soon followed by a try from hooker Lubabalo Maqoma, who simply bulldozed his way through the defence for an unconverted try. KwaZakhele were not going to lie down and stormed back into the game from a line-out with their big No.8 going over for an unconverted try. Itembelihle scored again when centre Tyson Smondile sidestepped his way through the defence for another unconverted try, but KwaZakhele refused to give up and after sustained pressure their scrumhalf cut through for a try near the corner. At half-time Itembelihle led 15-10.
Itembelihle upped the pace in the second half and the stalemate was eventually broken when fullback Mdudo cut through for a beautifully worked try from a set piece (courtesy of Danie Gerber's coaching!). Now the flood gates opened. The KwaZakhele players were visibly tiring and allowed centre Fumba to go through a gap to score under the posts for flyhalf Akho Tshoba to kick the conversion. Itembelihle attacked from a scrum in their own 22 and the ball went wide to speedy wing Mawande Charlie who dived over in the corner for an unconverted try. Fumba and Smondile scored two quick tries, one converted by Tshoba and then, right at the end, Itembelihle attacked from their own 10m line, when centre Smondile was pulled down close to the try line, big prop, Sinoxolo Sihoyoya, was on hand to take the pop pass to cross over in the corner for a try!
The final score was 49-10 to Itembelihle.
Outstanding for Itembelihle were hooker Maqoma, lock Khanyisa Maxamba, scrumhalf Siya Charlie, flyhalf Akho Tshoba and fullback Lutho Mdudo.
Solomon Mahlangu defeated Molly Blackburn 8-3 in a hard fought encounter.
The final will be contested between Itembelihle and Solomon Mahlangu and play-off for third and fourth positions will be between Molly Blackburn and KwaZakhele High.
From Theo Pieterse
