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Paul Munyuki Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe Sevens team manager Bruce Hobson believes the Cheetahs showdown with England on Saturday will give them a chance to gauge their strength ahead of their Olympic qualifier play-off qualifiers.
Zimbabwe have been drawn in Pool B where they will also face World Sevens core members England, South Africa and Kenya in the second leg of the tournament.
The Cheetahs are the only non-core team.
First will be their date against South Africa towards lunch on Saturday and will take on England three hours later while their game against Kenya at 7.30pm will complete their group game fixtures.
However, it is the game against the Europeans — a side they do not often meet in international tournaments — that has drawn much attention for the Zimbabwe Sevens and the last time the two sides met was in 2013 in the same tournament held in Port Elizabeth.
The Cheetahs lost 7-35 under the guidance of the controversial coach Liam Middleton.
“It’s huge of course that we are playing teams of a high calibre because we are still in contention for the Olympics and such tournaments or games can be of very high importance during such a stage.
“I do believe in Zimbabwe and that they are capable of pulling a turnover if they play well. Of course that we are not a full international core member would have an effect but Zimbabwe can pay well in one or two games and they can be very tough,” said Hobson.
When the two sides last met current coach Daniel Hondo was assistant to Middleton, Hilton Mudariki, Njabulo Ndlovu, Lenience Tambwera and Tapiwa Tsomondo were also part of the squad while the then captain Jacques Leitao was out due to family commitments but a number of things have changed so far.
Leitao is part of the side, Ndlovu has managed to retain his place in the side and Hobson feels it is the influence of these senior players that Zimbabwe’s performance will hinge around.
“From the last time Zimbabwe played England this is largely a new group with a new coach and new combinations but I expect the senior players like Njabulo Ndlovu, Jacques Leitao to lead as they have the experience and are hard workers.
“That there has been so many changes over the past years in the Cheetahs constitutes of a cycle and that is not about where a player comes from, if they are good then they should be picked for the national team.”
But the former Zimbabwe Rugby Union president added that the Cheetahs are not under much pressure for results and are capable of causing an upset especially over Kenya who he say have a bone to chew with Zimbabwe.
“It’s always great to play such teams and the Cheetahs look like they have been working well as a team and that would bring up their game, they have nothing to lose and all they just have to put up is a good showing.
“Kenya has always been very competitive against Zimbabwe, they hate to lose against us so they would play better and step up their game when they face the Cheetahs because they have a point to prove — that they are better than Zimbabwe yet again we have nothing to lose in the tournament.”
Cheetahs and Sables fly-half Tambwera who was part of a group that lost out to Kenya on the final buzzer in the Olympic qualifier feels they have to make up for the mistakes they made last month and prove they can be better than Kenya.
“There is no easy game in the World Series and our draw proves so. This means we will have to take every game seriously and give our all because this is a difficult group. We are not a core membership side and at the same time we should not be taken for granted.
“I feel that us playing Kenya for the second time in as many months is an opportunity for us to avenge for the defeat we suffered to them in the final of the 2016 Olympic qualifier in South Africa.
“No doubt I am hundred percent confident we will get a win over them.
“England is a big team, but we are looking forward not just to playing well but also winning. There is no team that can be taken for granted in this competition that is how and why the USA beat New Zealand twice (at the weekend in Dubai) and that also goes for South Africa,” said the Harare Sports Club mid-fielder.
Three changes were made to the Cheetahs side that failed to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games after captain Hilton “Rihanna” Mudariki, Kudakwashe Chiwanza and young Takudzwa Francesco were included.
Germany-based Manasah Sita, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo and Kilvan Magunje are out due to various reasons including club commitments and injury.
Draw:
Pool A: Fiji, Argentina, Scotland, Russia
Pool B: England, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe
Pool C: USA, Australia, Wales, Portugal
Pool D: New Zealand, Samoa, France, Canada
Cheetahs Squad: Jacques Leitao, Njabulo Ndlovu, Tapiwa Tsomondo, Riaan O’Neill, Kudakwashe Chiwanza, Boyd Rouse, Graham Kaulback, Stephan Hunduza, Lenience Tambwera, Shayne Makombe.
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