Ntlaza Lions roared themselves to a 17-9 victory in the final of the Border Premier League club rugby competition against Young Leopards at the BCM Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was the second decider between the two sides in the past month after the teams battled it out in the final pool match of the season to see who would finish top of the Premier League log and thus qualify for next year’s Border Super League competition.
Ntlaza Lions emerged from that match with a comfortable win to end on top of the Premier log, having gone through the competition unbeaten with nine wins and a draw and finished five points ahead of Young Leopards in second.
“We got the result we wanted and we are now champions of the premier league,” said Ntlaza Lions coach Mpumzi Damase.
“We are really looking forward to playing in the Super League next year. We have had a good season and deserve to be there and we want to do well.”
“Our record in the league was very good.
“This was our first unbeaten season in many years and it shows the hard work that was done by everyone involved.”
The teams then went into the finals of the Premier league, where Ntlaza Lions received a walkover after their semifinal opponent Bussy Boys did not show for the match, while Young Leopards defeated Wallabies Stutt 33-14 in the other semi to make the final.
A much closer game was battled out between Ntlaza Lions and Young Leopards in the final.
However, Ntlaza Lions were always ahead, leading 6-0 at half time before recording a 17-9 win in the end.
“This was a much closer affair than their previous game in the league and it was a well contested match,” said Border rugby Commercial and Marketing Manager, Akhona Mgijima.
“It was a very exciting match. There was some end-to-end stuff, but Ntlaza in the end proved too strong and got the win.”
Ntlaza Lions can now enjoy the win for the moment before they turn their attention to playing in the top club rugby competition in the region next year, the Border Super League, where they will be rubbing shoulders with the region’s top sides, such as Police, MPM Old Selbornians, and WSU All Blacks.
“We have been there before. It was our goal to get back into the Super League, and we want to stay there so we have to be ready,” said Damase.
“This takes a lot of work, all the way from the management to the coach and to the commitment from the players, but we are really looking forward to the challenge.”
“Our pre-season will be very important. There will not be many changes to our playing personnel and we just have to prepare ourselves for what is going to be a very tough competition.”
Lions tear apart Leopards in final
It was the second decider between the two sides in the past month after the teams battled it out in the final pool match of the season to see who would finish top of the Premier League log and thus qualify for next year’s Border Super League competition.
Ntlaza Lions emerged from that match with a comfortable win to end on top of the Premier log, having gone through the competition unbeaten with nine wins and a draw and finished five points ahead of Young Leopards in second.
“We got the result we wanted and we are now champions of the premier league,” said Ntlaza Lions coach Mpumzi Damase.
“We are really looking forward to playing in the Super League next year. We have had a good season and deserve to be there and we want to do well.”
“Our record in the league was very good.
“This was our first unbeaten season in many years and it shows the hard work that was done by everyone involved.”
The teams then went into the finals of the Premier league, where Ntlaza Lions received a walkover after their semifinal opponent Bussy Boys did not show for the match, while Young Leopards defeated Wallabies Stutt 33-14 in the other semi to make the final.
A much closer game was battled out between Ntlaza Lions and Young Leopards in the final.
However, Ntlaza Lions were always ahead, leading 6-0 at half time before recording a 17-9 win in the end.
“This was a much closer affair than their previous game in the league and it was a well contested match,” said Border rugby Commercial and Marketing Manager, Akhona Mgijima.
“It was a very exciting match. There was some end-to-end stuff, but Ntlaza in the end proved too strong and got the win.”
Ntlaza Lions can now enjoy the win for the moment before they turn their attention to playing in the top club rugby competition in the region next year, the Border Super League, where they will be rubbing shoulders with the region’s top sides, such as Police, MPM Old Selbornians, and WSU All Blacks.
“We have been there before. It was our goal to get back into the Super League, and we want to stay there so we have to be ready,” said Damase.
“This takes a lot of work, all the way from the management to the coach and to the commitment from the players, but we are really looking forward to the challenge.”
“Our pre-season will be very important. There will not be many changes to our playing personnel and we just have to prepare ourselves for what is going to be a very tough competition.”
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