Cheetahs Castle Sevens preps up a gear

home stretch with the foreign-based players joining camp.
Germany-based Manasah Sita, and the South Africa-based trio of Njabulo Ndlovu, Fortune Chipendu, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo were part of the side that had a fitness and conditioning strength test in the morning.
Locals included captain Jacques Leitao, Daniel Hondo and Justin Coles.
However, winger Tangai Nemadire was conspicuous by his absence with sources indicating that the Harare Sports Club winger is facing disciplinary action after he misbehaved in Kenya during the Sables Victoria Cup game.
It is understood that Nemadire has been banned from the game and at the weekend he travelled with Sports Club to Bulawayo but watched the game from the terraces against Old Miltonians.
However, Cheetahs team manager Bruce Hobson could not be drawn into discussing the issue and refused to comment, preferring to remain tight-lipped.
The South Africa-based duo of Gerald Sibanda and Mike Morris was also not part of the training squad and Hobson indicated that Sibanda’s club was not willing to release him.
However, according to Hobson, the unheralded Morris suffered a rib injury at the weekend and will not be able to travel with the side for the Zambia tournament.
The Cheetahs are the defending champions having equalled Mpumalanga’s record of winning the tournament four times. But this year the tournament will take a new format as it is also being used as an Africa Cup event and will also be used as a seeding contest for the teams that will take part in the International Rugby Board World Sevens Series.
This has seen teams in the region including Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda, Mauritius, Botswana Zimbabwe and hosts Zambia taking part in the two day event.
“We are very excited because there has been so much talent coming through especially in the Goshawks side where there is the likes of schoolboys Preston Bryant and Garath Meikle,” said Hobson.
Squads
Cheetahs: Fortune Chipendu, Jacques Leitao (c), Justin Coles, Njabulo Ndlovu, Manasah Sita, Graham Kaulback, Lloyd Machanjaira, Kuda Chiwanza, Gerald Sibanda, Wes Mbanje, Danny Hondo, Jonathan McWade, Gardner Nechironga.
Goshawks: Gareth Meikle, Preston Bryant, Liberty Mutowoni, Samson Makuku, Jamie Forrester, Joseph Nicholls, Japhet Ndebele, Jan Ferriera, Terrence Kuvarega, Simba Gonese, Lungile Tshuma, Marcus Nel, Regis Mutangadura, Shayne Makombe.