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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
GRAHAM Kaulback wants the Zimbabwe rugby sevens team — the Cheetahs — to stick to their sustained pursuit of a winning culture when they attempt to navigate what looks like a difficult terrain.
The Kudzai Mashawi-captained side plunge into the three-day 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens that opens at the iconic Cape Town Stadium in South Africa on Friday.
Zimbabwe face-off against Canada in the pre-round of 16 tie knowing they cannot afford any slip-ups in those tough 14 minutes of action.
That the Cheetahs are a 23rd seed out of the 24 teams taking part in this tournament and their opponents seeded 10th makes it even more difficult for the Kaulback side to make an impact but the gaffer believes that scenario actually takes pressure off the players.
The Cheetahs will be out to better their previous Bowl quarter-finals they attained in the previous edition of the 24-team jamboree in the United States in 2018 where they finished 23rd.
Their best performance at the global showcase remains their 13th place finish in the 2013th edition which was held in Moscow, Russia.
But the Cheetahs remain one of the best teams in Africa, having qualified six times for the World Cup and they are making a third successive appearance at the fiesta this year.
But Kaulback is not interested in those stats, instead, he wants his players to push harder this time around, starting with the eliminator against Canada on Friday.
It is a tricky match given the losers will automatically drop to the Bowl competition while the winners progress to the round of 16 which is scheduled for the same day.
“We take on Canada in our first game and our approach is we have to look inward into our processes and set goals in terms of process goals within the game that we can achieve.
“So we have set out five process goals and we are out to achieve those goals.
“Hopefully, the result will take care of itself. Look, this tournament doesn’t have a group stage. It’s in a knock-out format. If we beat Canada, we progress to the round of 16 and if we lose, we move to the bottom eight of the tournament straight away and we play in that,” said Kaulback.
“We are looking at a variety of technical areas that contribute to our culture (of play) and the Cheetahs culture is one of pursuing excellency daily, being as competitive as we can in every facet of the game and playing the game with a beast spirit, being the beasts human beings that we can.”
The winner between the Cheetahs and Canada will progress to the round of 16 where they will face France later in the day.
And Kaulback has chosen to be realistic while weighing his team’s chances of going all the way. But, he believes his boys are pumped up and could still spring a surprise.
However, his focus for now remains on his first match against Canada which he believes can pave the way for his team in the first ever Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament to be held on African soil.
“In terms of going all the way, obviously, sevens with Olympic funding and being an Olympic sport is a seriously competitive sport with heaps of really, really professional international teams with heaps of experience from World Series, Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
“So going all the way will be extremely tough but anything is possible as the bounce of the ball in 14 minutes can throw the game in any direction.
“We don’t have any injuries to worry about in our camp at the moment. We should be going into the tournament with a fit and strong 12-member squad.”
Zimbabwe punched their ticket for the Cape Town competition after finishing second at the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens tournament held in Uganda in April this year.
The Cheetahs also qualified for the Commonwealth Games held in July but their place was taken by Zambia as Zimbabwe is not in the Commonwealth.
In Cape Town this week, experienced Harare Sports Club star Mashawi will lead the Zambezi Lager-sponsored Cheetahs, who will be making their sixth World Cup appearance, having previously qualified for the 1997, 2001, 2009, 2013 and 2018 editions of the tournament.
The Cheetahs, who are seeded 23rd in the 24-team tournament, will face 10th seeded Canada in a pre-round of 16 fixtures on the opening day of the event on Friday.
The winners of the qualification round involving teams seeded from nine to 24 progress to the round of 16 where they will take on the top eight seeds, while the losers drop down into the consolation Bowl competition that will decide positions 17 to 24.
An upset win over Canada and the Cheetahs advance to face No. 7 France. The winner of that match could face Australia in the quarter-finals. The Zimbabwe side finished 23rd out of 24 teams at the last Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2018 in San Francisco, United States. Their best result was a 17th place finish in 2009.
Cheetahs Squad
Kudzai Mashawi (captain), Godfrey Magaramombe, Vuyani Dhlomo, Munopa Muneta, Tapiwa Mulenga, Jafnos Chiwanza, Carlos Matematema, Ryan Musumhi, Shingirai Katsvere, Sam Phiri, Munesu Muneta, Nigel Tinarwo.
Non travelling reserves: Keegan Cooke, Jerry Jaravaza, Pride Nyameni, Tadius Dzandiwandira
Head coach: Graham Kaulback
Assistant coach: Ricky Chirengende
Team manager: Tafadzwa Mhende
Physiotherapist: Margaret Gibson
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