By RONALD CHAWE –
Kansanshi 3-78 Diggers
FORMER champions ‘Men At Work’, Diggers thumped Kansanshi Rugby Club in Week Six of the National Rugby League (NRL) to reduce Red Arrows’ lead on top of the table to two points.
Arrows, who had a three point cushion going into the weekend games, failed to win with a bonus point when they narrowly edged ‘Powerhouse’ Lusaka 15-10 in a Lusaka derby at Yotam Muleya grounds.
Peter Mulenga and Kafula Chishimba had a try each for champions while Emmanuel Daka contributed a conversion plus a penalty.
Lusaka, who earned a bonus point for having lost by less than seven tries, scored a try by Kutemwa Koloko which was converted by Jackson Nkhoma.
The narrow win by Arrow that took them to 24 points benefited Diggers who played without coach Lawrence Njovu, dragged them to 22 points. Njovu was away on compassionate leave as he lost his mother.
Jubilee Chisenga and Jason Thole inspired the team to victory when they posted a hat- trick of tries each with Sam Lukonde and Kelvin Changwe contributing two tries each while Patson Kasonde and Joshua Kasosa had a try each in 12 tries the team scored.
The host could only score through Mukuka Mutale penalty.
In Mufulira, the Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) sponsored Mufulira –A and B consolidated their third and fourth positions respectively after big wins against Ndola and Kabwe Health Rugby Clubs respectively.
Mufulira -A humiliated ‘Killer Beers’ Ndola wanderers 83-0 to earn a bonus point in a second double header played at the Leopard’s cage. Earlier, Mufulira B had walloped the NRL weeping boys KHRC 127- 0.
Both Mufulira sides have 20 points, a point above fifth placed Nkwazi who beat Nchanga 26-3 with William Mukuka having a hat-trick of tries with Charles Male posting a try which all were converted by Andrew Mwape while Nchanga scored a penalty throughStephen Mwansa.
Elsewhere, Kitwe Playing Fields (KPF) saw-off Roan 27-11 that moved Maybin Sinkala coached side to 15 points, same with Buffaloes who beat Eagles 21-16 in Kabwe.
KPF tries were scored by Andrew Milimo’s double with Joshua Salu, Charles Tembo and Joshua Mwale all with a try which Benaya Mukwamba converted to earn them a bonus point while Roan managed a try by Stephen Mwansa with Richard Chibwe scoring two penalties.
Chibuluma registered their first win of the season with a 27-7 win over Konkola to move to seven points same with Nchanga while Konkola remained without a point in six matches.