Cheetahs for Morocco

afternoon for the Africa Zone World Cup qualifiers this weekend.
And the Sables winger believes they have all it takes to qualify for Russia.
The Cheetahs were one of the five Zimbabwean sides that took part in the two-day South African tournament and were beaten in the battle for the top prize after falling 7-33 to world champions Wales.
This was the only defeat the Cheetahs suffered in the tournament and it came where it mattered most. But for Nechironga, his side drew a lot of lessons from playing the International Rugby Board World Sevens Series core side.
“We have what it takes to win the tournament and though two teams, including the runners-up, are expected to qualify for the World Cup, we will not settle for anything less than coming out number one by winning all our games.
“The tournament was good for us because most of us had not played Sevens rugby in a while so we needed good game time in Sevens and we got that in Middelburg.
“It was also wonderful that we got to play teams that exhibit better competition than what we would get at the qualifiers.
“Wales, like us, were taking the tournament seriously and they brought with them all their top 16 core players as they are preparing for the IRB circuit just like South Africa,” said Nechironga.
The Cheetahs overpowered SA Buffaloes 35-12 before falling to Wales 33-7, having won all their group games against minnows Pumas Barbarians who they thumped 61-0, a 38-0 win over neighbours Botswana and a 21-12 triumph against Pumas.
The Cheetahs and the women’s side, the Pangolins, will be taking part in the qualifiers. However, the Zimbabwe Under-16 side coached by former Cheetahs player Tafadzwa Mhende — who retired from rugby two years ago following a career-ending injury at the Zambia Castle Sevens tournament — won all their games to win their age-grade tournament.
Mhende is assisted by Mbare Academy coach Victor Pekani and he singled out flyhalf Munashe Kamunda as the best player in his side.
“I am very pleased wit the way the boys fared and this is the first step in preparing for the 2014 junior Olympics so we have to take the side very seriously and expose the players to more Sevens games.
“I hope that during the Sevens Summer Series there will be slots for the Under-18 and Under-16s as well because they are the future of the game in Zimbabwe so they need the exposure and experience as early as possible.
“We played against Volksrust, who are one of the best Sevens teams (in South Africa). They were 21-0 up in the first half but we managed come back in the second half and we won it 21-28,” said Mhende.
The Zimbabwe development side, the Goshawks, lost all their group games and their biggest defeat was a 31-0 thrashing at the hands of Free State.
Zimbabwe results
Cheetahs: Zimbabwe 61, Pumas Barbarians 0; Botswana 0, Zimbabwe 38; Zimbabwe 21, Pumas 12; Cheetahs 35, SA Buffalos 12 (quarter-final); Zimbabwe 7, Wales 33 (semi-final).
Goshawks: Goshawks 5, Bulls 24; Goshawks 0, Free State 31; Goshawks 7, Ilifa Buffalos 24.
Under-16: Zimbabwe 24, Middies 14 (final), Zimbabwe 21, HTS Witbank 0 (semi-final); Zimbabwe 43, Ermelo 0; Zimbabwe 34, Hertzog 17; Zimbabwe 28, Volksrust 22.
Cheetahs Squad
Fortune Chipendu, Jacques Leitao (captain), Njabulo Ndlovu, Justin Coles, Lucky Sithole, Kilvan Magunje, Daniel Hondo, Tangai Nemadire, Gardner Nechironga, Jonathan Mcwade, Wensley Mbanje, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo.