Zimpapers Logo

Zambezi Cheetahs

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE’S Cheetahs stand on the threshold of writing their own piece of history today and tomorrow when they plunge into battles at the Africa Cup Sevens rugby tournament, which bursts into life in Kampala, Uganda this morning. It is a huge weekend for domestic rugby as Zimbabwe seek not only to conquer Africa but crucially secure places at the World Cup and the World Series in Hong Kong both scheduled for next year.

Qualification for the two major tournaments will also help the Cheetahs edge closer to achieving their dream of regaining a place among the core members of the international rugby family. Twice the Zambezi Cheetahs have finished as bridesmaids in the Africa Cup competition in recent years having fallen to the same opponents – Kenya – who beat them 24-19 in the 2013 final in Mombasa and edged them 19-17 in Johannesburg two years later. The 2015 Africa Cup was also used as the qualifier for the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and their defeat by Kenya meant that it was the East Africans who qualified for the Games at the expense of the Cheetahs.

This weekend’s tournament has, however, assumed even greater significance for the Zambezi Cheetahs given a place in tomorrow’s final will guarantee them qualification for the 2018 World Cup in the United States. The Cheetahs will not have to worry about the Kenyans who will not be part of this year’s Africa Cup after they attained core status along with South Africa and do not have to play in the World Cup qualifiers for the continent. Despite being one of the favourites along with hosts Uganda to reach the final, the Zambezi Cheetahs who headline Pool B, were yesterday not leaving anything to chance. The Zambezi Cheetahs will begin their Pool B campaign with clash against Mauritius and team manager Donald Mangenje, speaking from Kampala yesterday, said they were giving the same treatment to all the teams taking part in this tournament.

“We saw them in Maseru (Mauritius). Unfortunately, they are the first game and we want to get a good start. We played them in the last Africa Cup and beat them by a huge margin. We will try to emulate the same this time round. Mauritius have actually come in for Namibia. It’s unfortunate that Namibia will miss out. My heart goes out to their technical team. We have met them at two tournaments this year, working their socks off. However, their withdrawal is our gain as they would have provided stiff competition. We have, however, beaten them twice this year’’.

Zimbabwe have a strong squad that blends home grown talent and those plying their trade with different clubs in South Africa and the United Kingdom. Five of the players – Njabulo Ndlovu, captain Hilton Mudariki, Biselele Tshamala, Tapiwa Tsomondo and Mkhululi Ndlela – are based in South Africa while Boyd Rouse is playing for Bury St Edmunds in the United Kingdom.

Debutants Shingi Hlanguyo and Nelson Madida, Ngoni Chibuwe, Lucky Sithole, Stephan Hunduza and Scottie Johns complete the cast that coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba has trusted with doing national duty and ensure Zimbabwe will be part of the global jamboree in the United States when the Africa Cup ends tomorrow. Mangenje also spoke about their other pool B opponents Botswana and West African outfit Senegal.

‘’Botswana have also been growing tournament by tournament but I think we play a better brand of rugby than them’’. Mangenje said they will also be cautious against Senegal whom Zimbabwe beat 26-18 in the XVs version of the Africa Gold Cup in June in Dakar.

“We do not know what to expect, really. They have the size, we are not sure if they have the skills. We have a game plan for them and we are not reading much into their loss against our Sables,’’ Mangenje said. The Cheetahs will round off their Pool B assignments with a late afternoon clash against Madagascar who also have a knack of posting surprise results, which saw them reach the semi-finals of the Africa Cup last year. Today’s matches will also prove how much the Zambezi Cheetahs have put into their preparations which started in earnest with the Kwese Sports Victoria Falls Sevens in March.