Rugby: the XV Makis crowned as Kings of Africa in Mahamasina

Quite an outstanding page in the history of rugby and Malagasy sports in general has just been written. The XV Makis of Madagascar triumphed over a strong opposition in the final stage of the African Cup of Nations. The Malagasy dominated the first half time by scoring 29 points and leaving 14 to the opposition. The second half was a completely opposite script. The Namibians got a move on, scored 29 points in a row and left nothing to the opposition. Fate had to decide. The fierce extra time battle started thereupon with 43 points each.

During the first half, the Malagasy players stunned the audience by taking advantage from their velocity. Coco scored quite early on a try. Three more of them would soon be following, of which one of them scored by a personal achievement from the XV Makis’ captain. Jose completed a good turnover, The captain pretended to operate a pass,  fooled two Namibians at a time, resisted a tackle, dashed across the pitch over 27 yards, dodge the latest, rather desperate but still dangerous tackle and scored. While the hero was recovering from the shellshock, Rija achieved the transformation kick just before the half time break whistle. The stadium is jubilating, the XV Makis take the lead with 15 points over the Welwitchias.

The second half seemed like a nightmare. The Namibians raised the stakes, developed a formidable technical quality combined with their pack’s full power. The Malagasy team suffers in the fall down into hell. 29 to 36. Some supporters progressively leave the stadium Mahamasina, from fear from a foregone conclusion. Then the Makis let their reserve players in. The fight is not over yet. Neither is the hemorrhage though. The Namibians are able to score one more try in the rule of art. 29 to 43, the Malagasy team needed a couple of tries to keep on surviving in the final stage.

Wing Rija was on the verge of ruining everything when yearning to score straight at the middle although he already entered the red zone. Turnover. It would have been a regrettable waste of the occasion to recover 7 points from the offensive. 36 to 43. The Namibian kicks however from the wrong area and grants an unexpected scrum to the Malagasy at the midfield. The Welwitchias visibly run out of steam and let the Malagasy gain ground again. 43 to 43. Back to the beginning.

At the extra time’s start, Namibia still remains ahead through a successful penalty kick. The Makis did not give up for so little and reverse the trend once again. Rija redeems his past error by concluding a pure action of passes with a try. The Namibians only lead by 51 to 50. They however succeed in scoring three other points with a good drop and game seems to be finally over.

A Namibian player sends the ball voluntarily behind the touch line, probably believing the match to be over. Fatal error. The XV Makis still have the ultimate occasion to challenge the odds. The Namibian defense is heroic and the Makis can’t move a single yard forward at all. The breakthrough finally came true from Flyhalf Jose. The Namibian break this attack right in front of the big H. Jose retrieves the ball, shifts the game to the right side. The Namibian defense can no more keep holding on. The victorious was scored by Forward Toussaint, and transformed by … José. 57 to 54 on the scoreboard and then the final whistle rang.

Champion of Africa, Madagascar enters the famous group A after successive failures at final stages in 2005 and 2007. In other words, Madagascar is now part of the continent’s elite and will challenge three other teams to access the year 2015’s World Cup. This victory against Namibia is very beautiful, for the opponent of the day is a world cup regular which humiliated the Makis with an imperial victory by 112 to nil in 2001. In 2006, the Malagasy improved and lost with 27 to 57.

Statements:

José Rakoto Harison, captain of the XV Makis: “From the start on, we have been believing in our victory chances. This victory, we dedicate to all Malagasy. “

Bertin “Zoto” Rafalimanana, coach of the XV Makis: “We have no technical pattern, because we are artists … The problem is the physical. Let this call be heard by every famed rugby player, please, do marry a tall woman. “