adminThe Cheetahs won all their games to earn the right to be one of the African teams that will be rubbing shoulders with some of the greatest rugby-playing nations at the World Cup in Russia next year.
With the competition rules indicating that the teams that reach the final will proceed to the World Cup, Zimbabwe and Tunisia will join Kenya and South Africa as the African representatives.
Zimbabwe qualified for three of the previous World Cup editions and lifted the Bowl in the 2009 tournament in Dubai.
The Cheetahs were favourites going into last weekend’s qualifiers and justified their status by beating everyone who came their way. They were given a fright by Nigeria in the semi-final but, when it mattered most, their quality helped them over the line as they won 19-14.
The win over Tunisia in the final was routine and their second over the North Africans whom they beat 100 in the group stages. Zimbabwe beat Namibia and Cote d’Ivoire by an identical scoreline of 267.
The Cheetahs are expected home tomorrow afternoon, with a scheduled touchdown at 2pm at the Harare International Airport. Their fans are expected to give them a heroes’ welcome.
But it was a gloomy picture for the Pangolins. Having left the country with the aim of qualifying for Russia 2013, the women’s rugby side were left an exposed lot after losing all their group games.
The Pangolins opened their account with a 125 defeat at the hands of Uganda. They then went down 57 against Senegal.This meant they were relegated to the silverware group of the tournament where they registered their first win with a 120 win over hosts Morocco.
They eventually lifted the Bowl with a 14-10 win over neighbours Zambia. But this is not what the technical team, led by coach Abigail Kawonza and assistant George “Rollo” Mukorera, had wanted.
Online Reporter