adminHong Kong tournament.
Something they had waited for so long to happen failed to come to reality following a disappointing loss and truly there is no need to glorify failure in this or in any other case for that matter.
It was so close and yet so far for the Cheetahs in their campaign for glory that they were not able to be among the top three sides in the second tier competition that was used as a qualifier for core status.
Zimbabwe managed three tries, one of them converted while Portugal took every chance that came their way with three converted tries on their way to become one of the core members.
Having drawn first blood through double scorer Gardner Nechironga in the third minute, the Cheetahs are definitely ruing the yellow card Manasah Sita got in the second half and two missed conversions by Tangai Nemadire.
Obviously Sita had managed to remain in the game and had the two conversions gone through, there would have been a remarkably huge difference to the way the Cheetahs are feeling now.
Zimbabwe scored two tries in the first half, having first scored through Nechironga, and Nemadire was accurate on the first kick but the Harare Sport Club back liner was not able to add the bonus points to Wes Mbanje’s try just before half-time.
By the time the two teams went for the break, the Cheetahs were leading 12-7 after Portugal had equalised through a Goncalo Foro converted try in the fifth minute.
But it was in the second half that the Cheetahs were not able to maintain the lead, conceding two converted tries in this period, played one man down after second half substitute Sita received a yellow card, and only managed to score one unconverted try.
But we should not to take away anything from Portugal who got their substitutions right soon into the second half with the introduction of Duarte Moreira and Francisco Magalhaes.
The Cheetahs were definitely in the toughest group that saw two of the teams that were in their pool making it for core membership in the form of Canada and Spain who met in the final.
After beating the Cheetahs in the qualifier quarter-final, Portugal went on to lose 14-12 to Canada and the fact that they went on to win the third place play-off against Japan 33-19 saw them becoming a core member.
Having finished third in Pool E on Saturday after losing the opening match 5-19 to Spain, beating Canada 24-21 and the Philippines 21-17, Zimbabwe qualified for the quarter-finals as one of the best two runners-up.
The fact that the Cheetahs managed to pick themselves up from the Spain defeat to go on and beat Canada — who were fighting to regain their core status — on day two if the tournament gave Zimbabwe hope and something to smile about.
But the joy lasted only less than 24 hours as they went on to lose to Portugal in the quarter-final which they needed to win to enhance their chances of making it among the top three teams for core membership.
Zimbabwe Results
Quarter final: lost 17-21 v Portugal
Group Stages: Lost 5-19 v Spain; Won 24-21 v Canada; Won 21-17 v Philippines
Cheetahs Squad
Fortune Chipendu, Jacques Leitao (captain), Njabulo Ndlovu, Mike Morris, Manasah Sita, Justin Coles, Graham Kaulback, Gardner Nechironga, Daniel Hondo, Gerald Sibanda, Tangai Nemadire, Wensley Mbanje.
Online Reporter