adminedition of the Spar Zimbabwe International Sevens tournament at Harare Sport Club yesterday after beating Buffaloes in the Cup final.
The Cheetahs could not have done it any better than lifting the Cup in front of their home fans who, for a long time, have always wanted to watch the most decorated rugby side in Zimbabwe play on home soil.
“This one is for our home fans . . . We wanted to give them something to smile and be proud of and we did that and what makes this victory sweet is that it came against a side we drew against yesterday (Saturday).
“We wanted to build from the way we had played in the group stages of the tournament and the good thing is that we played to the game plan and we did not copy their style of game, we were just ourselves,” said Cheetahs winger Wes Mbanje.
Explosive winger Mbanje scored two exciting tries in the first half down the left wing with one of the tries converted by Tangai Nemadire who also crossed the white wash once in the game.
First to touchdown was Mbanje when he was found open out on the wide by hardworking forward Fortune Chipendu in the second minute and the Bulawayo-born winger outpaced the Buffaloes defence.
However, the angle proved too difficult a spot to kick from for Nemadire as Mbanje had placed in the corner to see the home side take a 5-0 lead.
But the score was good enough for the Buffaloes to take a lead and three minutes after the Cheetahs had touched down, it was the visitors’ turn with Peter Streiker coming in with a converted try to take a slender 7-5 lead.
A minute after, Cheetahs captain Jacques Leitao made a try saving tackle that resulted in Streiker being stretchered off the pitch and was replaced by Snider.
Fortunately or unfortunately this was when the Cheetahs show began.
Mbanje was once again found on the open after the Cheetahs had set up an overlap on the left to place in the same area as his first and this time Nemadire was good and the Cheetahs took a five-point advantage over the visitors.
It was in the last minute of the first half that Leitao came again and made a try saving tackle and they went for the break leading 12-7.
The Buffaloes sent shivers down the Cheetahs spine after they were the first side to touch down trough Streiker who had earlier suffered an injury and his effort was converted to leave the Buffaloes with a two-point lead.
And this was the last time the South Africans crossed the white wash as the Zimbabweans put up a good defensive show especially by Germany-based Manasah “Citreon” Sita, Chipendu and Leitao who were all over the visitors. It was Nemadire’s turn to touch down and he once again missed his conversion and this was when coach Gilbert “Gidza” Nyamutsamba made a double substitution that saw the introduction of Mike Morris and Justin Coles for Chipendu and Mbanje.
Two minutes from then, Nyamutsamba made another tactical substitution that saw the introduction of Gweru Sports Club winger Kilvan Magunje who replaced Nemadire. Magunje justified his cause for coming in towards the dying stages of the game and with the first move he went on to place under the posts and despite having hesitated to take the kick, he managed to add the conversion giving Zimbabwe a win.
“Having drawn against them we had to use the ball differently, they are a more physical side than us and that is why we had to spread the ball out on the wide and that just did the trick for us and at the same time our forwards ran them around the park and got them tired.“I believe this is a good preparation for us in view of that we will be playing in the Hong Kong tournament which, however, will be a bit tough an assignment than the tournament we have just played in.
“We have seen where we are and what we need to work on as we move ahead,” said Mbanje.
In the lower tier tournaments, the Zimbabwe second string side, the Goshawks, lost 26-12 to the South Africa Academy side that was decorated with five capped players who include captain MJ Mentz.
This was after Zambia fell to another South African side — Northern Region — in the Bowl final with a 19-12 score after sudden death while another Zimbabwe select side, the Zambezi Warriors, fell 19-14 in the Shield final also in sudden death.
Teams
Cheetahs: Fortune Chipendu, Jacques Leitao (captain), Mike Morris, Manasah Sita, Justin Coles, Graham Kaulback, Kelvin Magunje, Daniel Hondo, Gerald Sibanda, Tangai Nemadire, Jonathan Mcwade, Wesley Mbanje.
SA Academy: Pieter Engelbrecht, MJ Mentz, Dirk Dippenaar, Kwagga Smit, Shane Spring, Chase Minnaar, Justin Geduld, Preston Bryant, Ruwellyn Isbell, JP Lewis, Werner Kok, Juwell Samuels.
Online Reporter