Chronicle EditorPetros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
BULLISH Zambezi Cheetahs are confident they will emerge triumphant in the two-day Windhoek Draught Zambia International Sevens, which gets underway at the Leopards Hill Polocrosse club in Lusaka, this morning.
The Cheetahs and their second string side – the Goshawks – made the road trip across the Zambezi River to Zambia early yesterday morning with 24 players set to do duty for the two sides.
Zimbabwe are strong favourites to win the tourney, which is also expected to feature Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana and a side from South Africa.
On paper, it would mean the Cheetahs should be strong enough to go all the way to the final, if not lift the cup.
Such is the confidence levels in the Zimbabwe camp that the Cheetahs delegation are relishing an opportunity of playing the Goshawks in the final tomorrow given that that the second-string side also boasts some experienced players.
Team manager Donald Mangenje underlined the bullish mood in the Cheetahs camp ahead of their trip and claimed they were spoilt for choice in their selection for this competition.
The Zambezi Cheetahs are using this weekend’s tourney as part of their build-up for the Africa Cup, scheduled for Kampala next month, while the ultimate goal for coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba and his men is to build a strong side that can qualify for the 2018 World Cup in San Francisco in the United States.
Nyamutsamba also reckoned that his squad was still work in progress. He said he had deliberately left out some players he has assessed before to ensure that his selection base remained as wide as possible.
“We have deliberately left some of the players out so that we can give a chance to new players. “I would have loved to have more than three tournament before we go for the Africa Cup”.
Nyamutsamba, however, remains high on confidence that the Cheetahs will triumph in Uganda next month and book their place on the global stage in the United States.
“I hope that at the Africa Cup we will go all the way and so that we can qualify for the World Cup and also secure the core status which is what we are aiming for”.
Mangenje said they were satisfied with the depth they had at their disposal. “It is amazing the amount of talent we have and all the 24 players that we are travelling with have a chance to compete for a place in the Africa Cup squad. “We have tried to come up with the best that is available for now and we are missing a few other players for varying reasons,” Mangenje said.
South African-based skipper Hilton Mudariki, who has also represented the Sables, is expected to lead from the front and will not be short on support from the likes of versatile backliner Ngoni Chibuwe who plies his trade with College Rovers in Durban, and the Old Georgians pair of Lenience Tambwera and Stephan Hunduza.
While the Cheetahs are upbeat, the hosts also believe this is a competition they can win on home soil.
Zambia captain Israel Kalumba is confident the national sevens team will win this weekend’s tourney.
Coach Andrew Kamiso has urged his players to use the tournament as a stepping stone to more international events.
Online Reporter