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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
DURING a year in which the country’s national fifteens rugby team, the Sables struggled in the Rugby Africa Gold Cup, it was left to the sevens side, the Cheetahs to do the country proud.
The year started off with some exciting news for the Zimbabwean rugby, when in February the Aaron Jani-led Zimbabwe Rugby Union appointed former Springboks coach, Peter de Villiers to take charge of the Sables as they sought to qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Not only did de Villiers fail to take Zimbabwe to the 2019 World Cup but the Sables were close to being demoted from the Rugby Africa Gold Cup. A 23-23 draw with Morocco at Harare Sports Club was followed up by 45-36 loss to Kenya, 18-14 defeat against Tunisia with both matches away before Namibia drubbed Zimbabwe 58-28 at Hartsfield Rugby Ground which left the Sables in danger of being demoted from the elite group.
It took a 38-18 triumph over Uganda in Kampala to ensure Zimbabwe of safety, with the Sables finishing fifth while Namibia were on top to automatically qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
At the South African Youth Weeks, the girls Under-18 won two of the three matches they played in Johannesburg as the Nsikelelo Sibanda-coached team continued to impress at the tournament where they finished second in 2017. Led by Keisha Kapfunde, the Zimbabwean lasses beat Blue Bulls 24-5, lost 33-7 Eastern Province before they won 17-7 over Border.
Not to be outdone, the Scott Gray-coached Under-18 boys, who have been demoted to the less prestigious Academy Week from the Craven Week, won all the three matches they played in Paarl.
Led by loose forward Matthew Owuru, the Old Mutual Junior Sables recorded a 29-27 win over South African Learners with Special Educational Needs, thumped Blue Bulls Country Districts 44-19 and then defeated Namibia 27-7 to finish unbeaten at the Academy Week.
July saw the Gilbert Nyamutsamba coached Cheetahs take part in the Sevens Rugby World Cup in San Francisco, United States of America.
It was a tough outing for the Cheetahs who finished second from last at the World Cup, only better than Jamaica, who they beat 33-21 in a 23rd place playoff.
The Cheetahs did wonders in October when they beat Kenya 17-5 to win the Africa Cup in Tunisia, the first time they had been crowned African sevens champions since 2012.
Zimbabwe qualified to be the 16th team at the Dubai and Cape Town legs of the World Rugby Sevens Series, where they lost all the 10 matches they played in the two tournaments.
There is no doubt that the Cheetahs were the best rugby team in Zimbabwe in 2018 and it is yet to be seen if they will continue excelling in 2019.
— @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter