Harare, Zimbabwe – 5 May 2025 | The Sables began their 2025 campaign in dominant fashion with a commanding 70–15 victory over Zambia in the first leg of the Battle of the Zambezi at Harare Sports Club.
Despite conceding the first points through a penalty by Zambia’s Alex Mwewa, Zimbabwe wasted no time in asserting their authority.
Debutant Nyasha Shiripinda responded almost immediately, collecting the return kick-off and slicing through to score under the posts. Linience Tambwera, who had a flawless day with the boot, slotted the conversion to give the hosts an early lead.
French-based prop Bornwell Gwinji then powered over for Zimbabwe’s second try, capping off a series of bruising carries from the forwards. Tambwera added the extras once again.
Captain Hilton Mudariki, marking his 51st Test cap, added a third with a trademark dart from close range, converted clinically by Tambwera.
Although Zambia struck back with a converted try of their own, the Sables remained in full control. They ran in several more tries before the break, showcasing fluid backline movement and relentless forward pressure. The halftime score stood at 28–10, with Zimbabwe firmly in the driver’s seat.
The second half saw the Sables explode into another gear, scoring an avalanche of tries as fatigue and defensive frailties took their toll on the visitors. Zimbabwe’s depth off the bench maintained the pace, as the scoreline ballooned past 50.
By the final whistle, Zimbabwe had racked up ten tries in total, with Tambwera converting most of them, including several from difficult angles. Zambia managed one more try in the second half, but it was a mere consolation as the Sables finished the job emphatically at 70–15.
After the match, captain Mudariki praised the team’s effort but acknowledged room for refinement:
“Super happy to have such a great win in front of the home fans. It’s good to see all the work we put in translating to the scoreboard.
“It was a good win but we made a lot of errors on the field and had some discipline issues on the park, but these are things we will easily fix.
“Playing at home is always the best, especially when we also get a win. The home fans played a huge role today.”
With a 55-point margin, Zimbabwe take a massive advantage into the second leg and look well poised to retain their dominance in this regional rivalry.
