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Paul Munyuki Sports Reporter
THE former Old Hararians quartet of Antipas Kamkwindo, Tawanda Chowe and Morgen Vangue say they are enjoying life in the German Bundesliga with rugby side TV Pforzheim.But it is Chitokwindo who seems to be on top of his game.

The Cheetahs back-liner has scored six tries in the four games he has played since landing in Germany in mid-August for trials and is one of the top try scorers at his club.

Kamkwindo now refers to him as a “try-scoring machine”.
Recently, in their side’s 64-7 thrashing of RG Heidelberg, Chitokwindo scored three tries while Vangue chipped in with one.

But it is the game against defending league champions Heidelberger RK — whom they finished second to — that Chitokwindo feels his game will be severely tested.

“Of course, the last few games have been okay for me but we are playing the defending champions this weekend and that will be a huge test for me,” said Chitokwindo.

“Not to say that I feel a lot of pressure because we will play the champions but I am one player who is already used to playing high-level games thanks to the experience I got with the Sables and the Cheetahs.”

Since their arrival in the German town of Pforzheim, their side is yet to suffer a defeat and this is a record they would like to maintain going into Saturday’s fixture.

However, Chitokwindo is not the only one enjoying life in Germany.

“Everything has been going on well for us here, we are getting used to the conditions and everything seems different from Zimbabwe — from the culture, environment and the way of conducting business at the club,” said Kamkwindo.

“I feel that I played my heart out in the first game where we won 51-7 against TSV Handschuhsheimer before another 35-22 win against SC Neeuheim.

“We are happy here, some of us have managed to score tries. There is a lot of hard-tackling, the forwards are good but due to the wet conditions the backlines are not that good here.”

However, Chowe was surprised upon arrival at the club when he heard of their training schedule that includes a gym session almost every day as the Germans want to achieve high fitness levels.

“It was a jaw-dropper for me, I could not believe what I had just heard,” said Chowe.

“But that is what makes Germany rugby better than ours, the work ethic, the professionalism and everything is more organised.
“I have developed to like it and I am used to it now. Training is not just on the field because there is a lot of activity off the field and that includes a gym session every day and a yoga session once a week.

“I felt it was too much at first but I guess all good things come from working hard. My hope is that I get to utilise every chance I get so that I show what I can do and also maintain a more regular place in the starting XV.

“It’s all about working hard and playing hard and we hope by the end of this month we would have secured substantive contracts.”