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Gilbert Nyamutsamba

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE’S most successful rugby team in recent years, the Zambezi Cheetahs, flew into Kampala yesterday morning with high hopes of securing a dream place at the Sevens Rugby World Cup. A ticket to the global rugby sevens showcase is on the cards for the two teams that will emerge tops at the Africa Cup that bursts into life in the Ugandan capital tomorrow with the final slated for Sunday. Zimbabwe are in Pool B that includes Botswana, Mauritius, Madagascar and Senegal.

With South Africa and Kenya being core members that do not have to play in the Africa Cup and Namibia pulling out due to financial constraints, the Cheetahs would have to battle it out with the likes of Madagascar, who replaced the Namibians, to try and reach the final and with it a ticket to the 2018 World Cup in San Francisco in the United States. Hosts and defending African champions Uganda headline a tougher Pool A that also includes debutantes Ghana, Tunisia, Zambia and Morocco.

Apart from qualifying directly to the Sevens Rugby World Cup, the top two teams will also secure places on the World Series qualifier tournament in Hong Kong next year while there is also something in it for the Commonwealth countries that are taking part in the Africa Cup. This is because the first two teams belonging to Commonwealth countries will also use this tournament to qualify for the Commonwealth Games.

But, for the Cheetahs, it is the World Cup that is on their minds and their coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba literally put his head on the block when declaring that he would accept nothing short of qualification for the global showpiece. Nyamutsamba, relishing the opportunity of reaching a milestone with the Cheetahs, said his charges had also indicated to him “they are they all ready to put bodies on the block to win’’.

“I recognise the effort and hard work that the players have put in to get to this stage and I am actually honoured to be part of this team and to lead them. Because of the hard work that we have put in, I can say World Cup qualification is in our grasp. The promise to the nation is that we have the best possible team that Zimbabwe can offer and we are going to put body and soul to get the result that the nation wants,’’ Nyamutsamba said.

Nyamutsamba insisted that none of the 10 teams at the Africa Cup could be regarded as lightweights.

“It is going to be a tough tournament. I know that there is a lot at stake and most of the teams have put in a lot of resources in order to prepare for this competition. I know Uganda have gone the extra mile, I know Zambia and Tunisia have put in a lot but we have also put in a lot to compete at that level and we are ready for the battles,’’ Nyamutsamba said.

After their early morning flight from Harare, the Zambezi Cheetahs had a loosening session in the swimming pool before stepping up a gear with a full workout on the pitch later in the afternoon.

Team manager Donald Mangenje said despite the humid conditions in Kampala his charges had remained upbeat and focussed on the job at hand. Zimbabwe will get their Pool B campaign underway with a mid-morning clash at 10.14am against Indian Ocean islanders Mauritius. They will be back in action two hours later with a date against neighbours Botswana before meeting Senegal at 14.16hrs and winding off their pool assignments with another cagey assignment against Madagascar at 17.12hrs.

There is no doubt though that for the next two days, Zimbabwean rugby will put behind the problems that rocked the game two months ago and turn their attention to events in Kampala where the Zambezi Cheetahs have their qualification fate firmly in their hands.