Cheetahs suffer huge blow

shoulder injury at a training session in Glasgow after he flew in straight from his base in Germany while Nechironga is doubtful as his passport has not been delivered following a visa application.
The two are key for the Cheetahs but until last night, Nechironga was still waiting to receive his travel document from the couriers who are responsible for handling the visa application process in Germany.
“What surprises me is that Gardner is yet to receive his passport yet they applied at the same time with Sita who, however, has received his passport but is not able to travel to Scotland because he suffered an injury during a league game on Saturday,” said Cheetahs manager Bruce Hobson.
“The British High Commission have indicated that they released the passport after the visa processing, and yet the guys who are running the courier company are professing ignorance over the issue.
“So we are working with the Scottish immigration officials so that we try and get him here and so far they have been very cooperative and the Scottish Rugby Union are also working with us on the issue.
“We hope that he (Nechironga) would be able to join us before the afternoon training session tomorrow (today) otherwise we will unfortunately have to go with eleven players.”
Zimbabwe Under-20 fullback, James Forrester, has since received a surprise call-up to the Cheetahs as a replacement for Sita due to his convenient location but a solution is yet to be found for Nechironga in case there is need for a replacement.
Forrester was expected only to train with the Cheetahs in London next week but is expected to make his debut for the Zimbabwe Sevens rugby side in Scotland after receiving an unexpected call-up.
The Zimbabwe Sevens technical team, led by coach Gilbert “Gidza” Nyamutsamba, settled on Forrester, who is now based in Norwich, England.
Forrester was part of the Zimbabwe Under-19 rugby side that won the Junior Africa Cup on home soil last year to qualify for the Junior World Rugby Trophy in Utah, United States, this year.
Forrester will be re-united with his high school and Zimbabwe Under-20 teammate, winger Justin Coles, who has since 2009 become a regular feature in the Cheetahs and Under-20 squads.
“Manasah Sita has had to be withdrawn from the team after dislocating his shoulder.
“Jamie Forrester has been asked to join the training squad with a view of developing his Sevens skills for the future.
“Forrester is currently based in Norwich and was an ex-Zimbabwe player at both the Under-18 Craven Week level and for the Zimbabwe Under-19’s Sevens team,” added Hobson. Already, the Cheetahs have traveled to the United Kingdom without captain Jacques Leitao after he opted out to cerebrate the birth of his newborn baby girl but he is expected to join the squad at next week’s London leg of the World Series.
The London leg also serves as the final tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series and action will only resume in November with the Sydney leg in Australia at the end of November. Gweru Sports Club winger Kilvan “Ganjie” Magunje replaced Leitao.
“Jacque Leitao will join the team next week for the London Sevens after having to miss this weekend’s action after the birth of his baby girl,” added Mangenje.