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Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE coach, Gilbert Nyamutsamba, has declared his Cheetahs ready for their crack at the Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco and has announced the final side that will do duty at the showpiece in the United States. Nyamutsamba stepped up the act with his Class of 2018, a blend of seasoned players and some international Sevens rookies whom he has entrusted to fight for honours at the AT&T Park in San Francisco on July 20-22.

The Cheetahs have been finalising their preparations with two sessions a day at Machinery Exchange Rugby Stadium at Harare Sports Club under the close attention of Nyamutsamba and his assistant Tangai Nemadire.

“All the players have arrived, except Shingi Hlanguyo, who is already in the United States so we are going to meet him there.
‘’Since we have got a week there before the tournament starts we will have enough time to work with him.

“Second week of camp… so far we have been able to hit our targets and by the time the tournament starts we will be able to have achieved all our targets,’’ Nyamutsamba said.

Nyamutsamba had earlier expressed satisfaction with the fitness levels he noted among his troops.
In naming his final team, Nyamutsamba also considered a number of factors, key among them the immediate post World Cup-era.

“I am happy that the guys have managed to keep their fitness levels to a reasonable level. We decided to work with a squad of 14 because we were now focussing on specifics.
‘’We had trimmed it to 18 initially but I now needed a smaller group.

“We have always tried to work with a core of 18 since the Kwese tournament (in March) and now we have been at 14 and the guys have also been kept fit by being part of the Sables where they got some game time.

“If you look at the squad you will notice that a few seniors have not been called up because we are looking beyond the World Cup.

Cheetahs World Cup team:

Ngoni Chibuwe, Connor Pritchard, Shingi Hlanguyo, Stephan Hunduza, Riaan O’Neil, Biselele Tshamala, Nelson Madida, Tarisai Mugariri, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Shayne Makombe, Boyd Rouse, Kuda Chiwanza