Busters ready to defend Zimbo Cup

Four Bulawayo clubs — Busters, Old Miltonians, Western Panthers   and Bulldogs — will battle it out in the tournament that runs for three   weeks.
Busters coach Sean Robinson said his charges were ready to take on Old Miltonians and challenged other teams to take the competition seriously as Matabeleland Rugby Football Board (MRFB) selectors will use it to shortlist a provincial team.

A Bulawayo Under-20 select is set to tour South Africa next month where they will play Sharks Academy and another team from Durban.
“As a board we managed to secure a tour of South Africa and we will be  in Durban from 9-22 February. Only the players who were 19 years old   on 1 January or younger than that will be considered for the  KwaZulu-Natal tour. So, the players participating in the Zimbo Under-20 Cup must know that there is more to this competition than the trophy they are playing for.

“On the part of my boys, they are ready to defend the title they won  last year and are looking forward to the Old Miltonians game,”  Robinson said.
Some of the players at Busters who include skipper Brian Dube, Dexter Mutete and Shingirai Musarurwa were part of last season’s senior team that competed in the National Rugby League.
Lawrence Clemenson, Kudakwashe Takawira, Ryan Kent and Young De Klerk are some of the players expected to lead Busters to glory.

The first match of the day will be between Western Panthers and Nketa’s Bulldogs.
Western Panthers just like Busters, have a number of Under-20 players who played in the National Rugby League and their experience might propel them to an easy victory over their opponents.

Marlvern Gomo, Dredford Ndlovu, Irvine Nduwa, Thabo Nyathi and Thandolwenkosi Ndlovu are some of George Mukorera coached Western Panthers’ key players.
“Our training programme went on well throughout the week and I  will be banking on my experienced players to lead the team. It will not   be an easy game seeing that this is our first match of the year but if the guys use their experience we will sail through,” said Mukorera.