ZIMBABWE U20 rugby side got off to a blistering start accounting for Tunisia 46-21 in their opening match of the Rugby Africa Barthes Trophy at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
The locals raced to a 21-9 at break after coming down from a 0-3 deficit early in the match after Tunisia broke the deadlock with an early penalty to take a 3-0 lead.
Allan Mawunga scored the opening try for Zimbabwe after five minutes, which was converted by Benoni Nhekairo while Edward Sigauke planted Zimbabwe's second try at 20 minutes, but the conversion went wide.
Tunisia reduced the deficit immediately after the break taking the scores to 22-18, but Magutakuona got Zimbabwe a try which was converted by Sigauke with the scoreboard reading 34-18 in favour of the hosts.
Moments later Shammah Jackson got Zimbabwe another try and the locals led.
Zimbabwe added another try just before the full time whistle courtesy of Tino Runyowa and Nhekairo, who came in with the conversion.
Zimbabwe U20 rugby head coach Shaun De Souza was happy with collecting maximum points, adding that the team can only get better with each outing.
"I think we will take the result we knew was going to be a bit nerve-wracking. It's a young team coming out on this pitch late at home. It was definitely going to be a shell shock. I think we composed ourselves, we absorbed our errors and put them out," said De Souza.
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"A lot of positives from this game, but a lot of coaching points still that we can work on for the rest of this tournament. It is a good thing as we go to the next game against Namibia. The young team has come of age now, they have had the experience that they were lacking and all they can do is get better going forward."
Zimbabwe take on Namibia in their second match on Wednesday at Harare Sports Club before winding off their campaign against Kenya on Sunday at the same venue.
The top side after the round robin matches qualifies for the U20 Rugby World Cup in Scotland in July.
