Bullish Cheetahs declare war

tournament as a stepping stone to the Hong Kong leg of the World Series — where the first round of core membership qualifiers are going to be played.
The trio are in the running for core membership and Zimbabwe captain Jacques Leitao said his side will give their best to win the tournament for their home fans, while coach Gilbert “Gidza” Nyamutsamba has challenged the fans to support the Cheetahs.
The Cheetahs are in Pool A of the tournament where they will take on Zambia in their first game at midday before closing the show with a date against a tricky Georgia at 4pm and Leitao believes defending the title will act as a motivation for the players ahead of the big stage in two weeks time.
“We are expected to be sharp, we have been looking forward to the tournament and every one of us wants to play in it,” said Leitao.
However, Nyamutsamba feels there is something special about playing on home soil that he feels the Cheetahs should show Zimbabweans what they are made of not only for this tournament but going forward.
“It was a good feeling playing in front of your own people last year and I am happy that we are going to be in front of the locals again as they rarely get a chance to watch us play here at home.
“It is going to be difficult defending our title because effectively we are everyone’s foe and they want to pull us down but that is going to be our number one aim (winning the cup), followed by giving exposure to the players and maintaining momentum for Hong Kong.
“Kenya are obviously walking with their heads high after reaching the Wellington final, but we beat them the last time we played them and we have been dominating them over the last two or so years.
“This is going to be tougher than last year, there is a lot of experience in South Africa, Georgia, Hong Kong and we are also not taking Zambia lightly because we know how they play. I am not really sure of Georgia but I have managed to watch some of their videos and it seems they are also a good side.” The defending champions and hosts — like any of the teams in the tournament — are not taking the two-day event lightly while last year’s runners-up Buffaloes of South Africa have vowed  to put in a better performance.
Buffaloes captain Derich Badenhorst yesterday told The Herald that this is a perfect opportunity for them to get noticed by Springboks coach Paul Treu who will be leading a developmental side from South Africa.
“Last year we made it all the way to the final and despite the fact that we are going to meet more competition because there are more national teams who play in the World Series here, we have to give it our best.
“Most of us here know that we are an invitational side and this still be a perfect platform for us to get noticed by coach Treu since he will be here so we are not going to give it away easily and we would like to cause some disappointments as well.
“We have  worked harder for this event compared to last year, our preparations have been better and we are fitter and would like to show what we can do and put ourselves on the map because I believe we are marketable,” said Badenhorst.
Buffaloes have been drawn in Pool D of the competition where they are set to take on Zimbabwe’s developmental side the Goshawks in the opening game of the day before taking on fellow South Africans, the Pumas of Mpumalanga province, at 3pm.
“Our aim is to make it into the Cup route, there is going to be tough competition but we would like to equal or better the challenge no matter who we are going to meet.
“We understand that competition is stiffer, there is Hong Kong and Georgia who were not here last year but we just have to believe in ourselves,” said Badenhorst. Zimbabwe are missing the services of some of the top players who include the trio of Wensely Mbanje, Graham Kaulback and  Manasah Sita who are undergoing rehabilitation having suffered injuries while some, like Justin Coles, could not make it due to educational commitments. The side only has three foreign-based players — former Young Sables forward Tapiwa “Homely” Tsomondo, Njabulo Ndlovu and gasman Tafadzwa “MaRubber” Chitokwindo.
Chitokwindo is one of the players who did not make it into the Cheetahs at this tournament last year and he will be joined by the likes of Lucky Sithole, Stephan “Stavo” Hunduza, Gardner Nechironga, Tsomondo and Njabulo Ndlovu.
And Nyamutsamba has seen it as a perfect opportunity to have a look at the likes of Hunduza, whom he described as “special”, who will be earning his first Cheetahs’ cap this afternoon in front of the home fans.
“At the last tournament we played in Port Elizabeth we had Tsomondo and as a matter of maintaining continuity we  have to rope in more young players each time we can and this is why we have Stavo (Hunduza).
“He is a special player because over the past two seasons he has been outstanding and there always come a time when you have to reward these players and give them their place in the team and for him this is the time.
“This also helps us in blending youth with experience, he seems very dedicated to the game,” said Nyamutsamba. Hong Kong coach Dai Rees is aware of what has been happening in other camps but despite having a smaller pool of players to chose his players from, the Welshman has faith in his side where he is only missing the services of one player.
Rees has brought in his full strength squad and feels the quality of teams in this year’s edition of the tournament are going to give him as good assessment of where his side stands.
“Most of the people think that because it’s Hong Kong, they have an easy way of luring European players to the team and develop the game but it is not like that due to the immigration laws and also because we are a Third Tier rugby playing country not many would like to play for Hong Kong.
“I have brought in my full-strength side save for one player, most of the guys here have day-time professional  jobs and most of them are in the uniformed forces and the fire department, eleven of the fourteen players here were born in Asia.
“But our main aim is making it to the semi-final but first we have to make it out of the group stage and win in the quarters but our goal is to get a better performance and I think the fact that we are the Asian champions will drive the boys to do well,” said the former Wales Sevens and Under-21 coach.