Army sides miss rugby league final

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Tuesday July 27, 2010 00:00

 

Army sides have made it a tradition to contest the league finals, but this season, they will watch from the sidelines as Gaborone Hogs and UB Rhinos compete for the coveted title.

Rhinos became the first team to beat Gunners at home this season while Hogs completed a double over Cheetahs. Rhinos dismissed Gunners 23-18 while Hogs were 24-17 victors over Cheetahs.

The two Gaborone sides will meet in the final on August 7. It is the first time that Rhinos have made it to the final. Cheetahs and Gunners will look to salvage consolation when they battle for third spot. Gunners' loss meant that they fail to defend the title which they won last year, becoming the first side from the north to do so.

Meanwhile, Botswana Insurance Company (BIC) has become the first technical sponsor for the women's national rugby side. BIC marketing manager, Thabo Majola said it is important for corporate companies to take part in sponsoring women sports in Botswana to ensure growth. He was speaking at a kit handover ceremony at the Wharic Park Grounds over the weekend. He said BIC is proud to be the first official sponsor of the women's side.

He said BIC hopes for a long partnership with the Botswana Rugby Union (BRU). 'Rugby hasn't received as much publicity as other sporting codes in Botswana and this is just the beginning,' he stated. BIC gave the women side a home, away and warm-up kits.

BRU women's committee chairperson, Chada Kealotswe said she is proud of the BIC gesture. She said that the new kit will boost the players' confidence when they face tough opposition. She encouraged the team to wear the kit with pride. 'You shouldn't forget that rugby is all about building a team, building confidence and asserting yourselves both in and out of the field,' she said.

BRU vice president, Farid Pandor predicted that the team will compete in major tournaments such as the World Cup. He said that rugby offers a unique opportunity to showcase Botswana to the world and it can help grow the country's economy. Pandor said that the success of the inaugural women's rugby World Cup in 1991 has helped the female game to grow. 'I am confident the partnership will open up new business opportunities for BIC both in the country and worldwide,' he said.

Women's rugby was started in Botswana in 2002 when it was introduced in senior secondary schools. The women's side was formed in 2003 and so far, it has participated in the 2008 African World Cup qualifiers and the Zambia Castle Cup.