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Paul Munyuki Sports Reporter
STEVAL Pumas and Sables flanker Lambert Groenewald has been rested and will not be part of the Vodacom champions’ touring side when they take on Zimbabwe’s President’s XV at Bulawayo’s Hartsfield Rugby Grounds next Friday.

The Sables — playing as President XV as this will be a Test match — would have loved to have the deadly ball career in their match day squad but, unfortunately, Groenewald will be in the Mpumalanga franchise colours.

“I would have loved to have him as part of my squad but we have to look at this from all angles because on the other side, it is a chance for us as the technical team to have a look at other players as well,” said Mandenge.

The squad includes an array of unheralded players, most of them foreign-based, and Mandenge said he has not seen some of them play and this has become the biggest reason he has called them for the Bulawayo game.

The forwards trio of Germany-based Wolfgang Voight, Robert Pearson from Durban, Moses Gunda (England) and Jeremy Mututu in the backline are some of the players Mandenge has yet to assess.

“This game is not largely about results, but is a chance for us to have a look at players whom we have not managed to see before because, honestly, I have not seen the other players in action but I have seen their video clips.

“But video clips do not allow me to read much (in terms of the Sables situations) because some have sent clips before and the results on match day were different so I would need to see them in action for Zimbabwe.

“This is a chance to test the players, not to try them in the competitive Test matches.”

However, Mandenge feels the impact and effect of this friendly match would have been much better and more relevant had the game come closer to the Test matches.

The Sables will face Kenya at home in their Africa Cup opener four months down the line on July 9.

“I would have loved to have this game ideally towards our Africa Cup games, it would have been a stage and time to prepare for the Test matches and, at least, the domestic players would have been in action making it more competitive,” said Mandenge.

The former University of Zimbabwe coach feels his players are competing on an uneven playing field given that the domestic league has not yet started.

“The domestic league has not yet started and most of the local player last played a competitive match towards the end of last year.

“Active players in our squad at the moment are the foreign-based players.

“As a coach I cannot turn down a friendly game.

“It’s a game we agreed to play but it is going to be difficult for the domestic player but I could not have said no to a chance of taking a look mostly at the new and young players,” said Mandenge.

Squads

President’s XV

Forwards: Denford Mutamangira, Lucky Sithole (HSC), Brian Makamure, Tapfuma Parirenyatwa, Tatenda Murwira, Tawanda Chowe (OH), Lawrence Cleminson (Russia), Fortune Chipendu, Pieter Joubert (OGs), Wolfgang Voight (Germany), Jan Ferreira (Spain), Robert Pearson (Durban), Biselele Tshamala (Durban), Moses Gunda (England), Njabulo Ndlovu (UWC),

Backs: Charles Jiji, Takudzwa Chieza, Tichafara Makwanya, Gerald Sibanda, Brian Matoramusha, Tangai Nemadire (OH), Kuziva Kazembe (Hamiltons), Taddy Whata (HSC),Riaan O’Neill (Sharks Under21), Jeremy Mututu (Craberra), Gavin Nyawata, Shayne Makombe (UKZN), Brandon Boshi, Lenience Tambwera, Stephan Hunduza, Boyd Rouse (OGs), Bastien Mendelsohn (Durban), Shingi Katsvere (Mbare Academy).

Steval Pumas: Bernado Botha, Marné Coetzee, Francois du Toit, Tyler Fisher, Stephan Greeff, Carel Greeff, Johan Herbst, Hugo Kloppers, Hoffmann Maritz, Khwezi Mona, Dylan Peterson, Marcello Sampson, Marnus Schoeman, Hennie Skorbinski, Jannie Stander, Heinrich Steyl, Emile Temperman, Nardus van der Walt, Marlou van Niekerk, Justin van Staden, Leighton van Wyk and Simon Westraadt.