tawandamusarurwa
Deputy Sports Editor
LEADING Zimbabwe’s Cheetahs into an Olympic Rugby Sevens qualifying tournament is probably the last thing Godfrey Magaramombe expected this year.
However, this became a reality after coach Graham Kaulback retained him as captain of the senior national Sevens squad.
This year has been a mixed bag for Magarambombe, who began his tenure as skipper in April with the disastrous Challenger Series in Stellenbosch, South Africa, which was best characterised by the team’s mauling at the hands of Belgium (5-24), Hong Kong China Sevens (12-33), Papua New Guinea (7-21) and Brazil (19-24).
Zimbabwe finished the tournament in 11th place. Their only win came courtesy of a 50-5 victory over Jamaica.
“We don’t usually dwell on the past but we obviously need to learn from our mistakes,” Magaromombe told The Sunday Mail Sport.
“We were not at our best going into the Stellenbosch tournament. We had players with slight niggles and one of the major things we learnt from the Challenger Series was the importance of patience.
“Patience helps us execute our game plan better. We also put a lot of pressure on ourselves and tried to go for gold at every turn.
“We were also a bit too overconfident in our abilities and too eager.”
The leadership role is one of the things the Cheetahs skipper takes a lot of pride in.
In the time since Stellenbosch, Magaramombe has been seeking help from some of the men who came before him.
“First of all, it is always a huge honour to lead your national team, and I am really grateful to be handed this opportunity,” he said.
“We have played one tournament since I have been handed the skipper’s armband, but the team has really helped me settle into the role.
“I have had a lot of help and advice from most of the retired seniors . . . and I have been in constant contact with one of my more recent predecessors, Hilton Mudariki.
“They have been there to offer their tips and advice, and it has been helpful.”
September presents a huge chance for Magaramombe to write a new chapter as captain.
Zimbabwe will host the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Cup, which will also double as the continent’s edition of the Olympic qualifiers.
Twelve of Africa’s leading Sevens teams will converge on Harare Sports Club’s Machinery Exchange Stadium for the fiesta scheduled for September 16 and 17.
The tournament is set to attract some of the continent’s heavy hitters in the shorter version of rugby, who include South Africa’s Blitzboks and Kenya.
Both South Africa and Kenya also play in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Uganda are an emerging threat, while Zambia, Madagascar, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Algeria, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire — who can cause an upset on a good day — are also part of the cast coming to Harare.
With two slots available for the Olympics, the Cheetahs ought to be wary of the huge threat posed by South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.
However, Magaramombe believes home advantage should tip the scales in Zimbabwe’s favour. “Playing at home brings a lot of pressure, but I think it is also to the team’s advantage that we are hosting.
“We have our families, friends and the whole nation behind us, and, hopefully, that will motivate and keep us in the fight when the chips are down.
“Hosting is a big plus on our side,” he said.
“Besides, success is always inevitable, as there is no player that goes into a game or tournament expecting to be beaten.
“I personally believe that we have what it takes to play against any and every team that we will face at the Africa Cup.
“We will definitely approach this tournament with that mindset and be as positive as possible.”
The Cheetahs have already started training and will be expected to officially begin their camp in the second week of September.
The third edition of the Zambezi Challenge (early September) and a week-long stay at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria will form part of their preparations.
Online Reporter