Rugby championship grand finale

NTHAKO MAJORO

MASERU – Round 10 of the Federation of Lesotho Rugby (FLR) Championship still promises lots of sparks despite the top four teams going to the weekend fixtures after booking spots in the play-offs.

Team Liqhomane, Maseru Warriors, the defending champions Giants and NUL Spears may all be through to the FLR Championship play-offs as any results from tomorrow’s last fixtures of the league championship (at Makoanyane XI) are not likely affect their log standings and qualification for the top-flight rugby competition.

But the clubs still have to set up the play-offs draw, which will be decided according to the folding method kind of draw, where the first team in the league will play the fourth team and the second team to play against the third team.

The fixtures to decide the play-offs draw is the Team Liqhomane versus The Cannibals and Warriors versus Beavers.

The Cannibals are the last team on the FLR Championship six-team log table with five points from nine games, while Beavers occupy fifth position with 11 points from the same number of games.

Team Liqhomane and Warriors sit on pole and second positions with 38 and 29 points respectively. Both have cemented their stay on top of the league championship irrespective of whether or not they win tomorrow.

But the most crucial fixture of the weekend which will have a huge impact on how the play-offs draw is completed, will be the Giants/Spears game. The two have equal points (21) on third and fourth position respectively.

“If we win this weekend match, we will climb to position three and that will see us playing Warriors in the play-offs. But if we lose, we will play Team Liqhomane according to the folding method of the draw by FLR,” said Spears coach Alecs Basitang in an interview with Public Eye on Tuesday.

However, Basitang said Spears were ready to play any team between Team Liqhomane and Warriors.

“But it is crucial for us to win the Giants match in order to set up a play-offs semi-final against Warriors which are definitely going to be a walkover for us.”

Team Liqhomane chairman, Lefa Bibo Khooa, shared similar sentiments with Basitang:

“The upcoming weekend fixtures are crucial to the play-offs draw. So, we approach them with the same attitude that we used in the previous FLR Championship league games – which was to play for a win.”

NUL Spears won gold from the Inter-varsity games a fortnight ago after they beat University of Eswatini 29-0 in Roma.

This was after the University of Botswana rugby team also failed to attend the games.

Basitang, who is from Botswana said they are looking to win another gold as they are also targeting the FLR Championship when the play-offs kick off in April 13.

FLR Championship weekend league fixtures at a glance

Team Liqhomane vs The Cannibals (12:00)

Maseru Warriors vs Mabote Beavers (14:00)

Giants vs NUL Spears (16:00)