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Daniel Hondo

CHEETAHS coach Daniel Hondo believes the senior players should stand by their rookies if Zimbabwe are to give a good account of themselves at the Cape Town leg of the World Sevens Series that gets underway today in South Africa.

Drawn in a challenging Group B, the Zimbabwe Sevens rugby side get their campaign underway with a date against a difficult South Africa before taking on Kenya and rounding off their pool games with a clash against England.

Mkululi Ndhlela is set to earn his Cheetahs debut, an inclusion that came late after Tapiwa Tsomondo’s Blue Bulls refused to release him for national duty.

Kudakwashe Chiwanza has not had much game time in the Cheetahs colours while Takudzwa Francisco will be earning his third.

Forwards Jacque Leitao and Njabulo Ndlovu are expected to lead from the front, while the trio of scrumhalf Hilton Mudariki, Graham Kaulback and flyhalf Lenience Tambwera will be vital in stabilising the midfield with Stephan Hunduza and Shayne Makombe adding balance from the wing.

“We have got some senior or more experienced guys who I hope can uplift the confidence of the youngsters.

“Well, it’s tough going into a tournament like this with four young guys with not much experience. It’s their opportunity to play against the top of the crop in Sevens. It’s either they stand up or they sink.

“But we look forward to Saturday. We can only keep growing as a team,” said the former Cheetahs play-maker.

Zimbabwe have been drawn in Pool B where South Africa, England and Kenya have all been forced to make changes to their squads during the course of the week, but Cheetahs flyhalf Tambwera feels this does not necessarily make their opposition any weaker.

South Africa will be without reigning World Sevens Player of the Year Werner Kok who suffered a knee injury last week in Dubai and Cecil Afrika, who is recovering from a hamstring injury he also picked up at the same tournament.

The duo has been replaced by Dylan Sage, who will make his South African debut, and Rosko Specman is back in the Blitzbokke fold this weekend.

Kenya coach Benjamin Ayimba has made two changes calling up Oscar Ayodi and Eden Agero in place of Jeff Oluoch and Augustine Lugonzo who suffered back and groin strains respectively also in Dubai.

“Our opponents might have had injuries and changes to their sides, but we did not pay much attention to that because they have depth so the injured will be replaced with similar players. As for Kenya it’s going to be another ‘final’. I assume they know it’s not going to be easy,” said Tambwera.

Tambwera knows getting off to a good start could be the key to the Cheetahs doing well at the tournament as they would like to get a confidence boosting win for their two-day campaign.

“The first game (against South Africa) is very important because we are playing against one of the best teams in Africa and in the circuit, so we want to give it all we have.

“But there is no pressure at all on our part because we feel we have a chance to take them down as they look at us as underdogs not knowing what’s coming their way.”

South Africa captain Kyle Brown says despite the fact that they have dominated both Zimbabwe and Kenya over the years, they are going to treat them both just in the same way they will handle England.

“We brought Dylan and Rosko in to bolster the squad. They played in the invitational team tournament last week in Dubai and they did really well and stepped up nicely.

“Rosko is ready to rock and roll. He is a fantastic player, so it’s really exciting to see him and I think Sage has had his head down for the last four or five weeks. He joined us and he has been phenomenal,” Brown told the media in Cape Town.

Cheetahs Squad:

Hilton Mudariki (captain), Jacques Leitao, Njabulo Ndlovu, Riaan O’Neill, Kudakwashe Chiwanza, Boyd Rouse, Graham Kaulback, Stephan Hunduza, Lenience Tambwera, Shayne Makombe, Takudzwa Francisco, Mkulili Ndhlela. – Sportszone.