adminGeorgians Sport Club.
Seven players joined the locally based troops as the South Africa-based Graham Kaulback, Jonathan McWade Gerald Sibanda and Tafadzwa Chitokwindo arrived in the morning.
Wesley Mbanje and the German-based duo of Manasah Sita and Mike Morris were expected in last night.
They will join England-based Justin Coles, who arrived at the end of last week, and took part in the Spar Sevens Summer series at the weekend where he helped Old Georgians to a hattrick of titles.
Also in camp, from the home-based players, are the Old Georgiansforwards — Fortune Chipendu and captain Jacques Leitao, Tangai Nemadire and Daniel Hondo from Sports Club — while Gweru’s Kilvan Magunje also came in yesterday.
“So full camp will be on tomorrow morning (today) when all the players are in camp as we are expecting some of them this evening,” said Cheetahs’ manager Bruce Hobson.
“Those that arrive earlier will be part of the evening training session.”
Leitao will be donning the Cheetahs jersey for the first time sinceDecember when he travelled to Dubai.
He missed the South African leg of the IRB World Series due to personal commitments.
The Cheetahs will be training with the Goshawks at the same venue where Harare Sport Club have contributed four players in Tolerance Zishe, Shingirai Mpofu, Stephan Hunduza and Shayne Makombe.
They were all part of the side that lost to the Dragons at the weekend.
Josh Smallbones, Simba Gonese, Craig Elcombe, Scotty Jones, Liberty Mutowonzi and former St Johns College player Wilson Seremani come in from the Dragons.
Police Defenders, who were playing some good rugby in the Summer Series, have two of their players, Patrick Tenesi and Kudzai Mashavi – in the Goshawks squad.
Kudakwashe Chiwanza from Sharks Academy in South Africa is the only foreign-based player in the squad.
Old Hararians have Itai Vambe while the Busters duo of Japhet Ndebele and Lloyd Machanjaira complete the unit.
This will be the first time for Zimbabwe to host a Sevens’ international tournament and the games are expected to take place at the Harare Sports Club cricket pitch on March 3 and 4.
Excitement is building up in the Cheetahs’ camp and in the rugby family and most of the international teams are expected in the country tomorrow for the two-day event.
Among them are national teams that include Zambia and Botswana while, from South Africa, the presence of the South Africa Academy, Mpumalanga, Northern Province and Buffaloes will add flavour to the event.
The South Africa Academy have included three capped players — Chase Minnaar, MJ Mentz and Pieter Engelbrecht — who all have experience in the Blitzbokke jersey.
Zimbabwe is taking advantage of the Spar International Sevens, using it as part of their preparations for the IRB Hong Kong Sevens that will be used to promote three none core teams to full membership.
Cheetahs Squad
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, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo.
Goshawks Squad
Tolerance Zishe, Shingirai Mpofu, Stephan Hunduza, Shayne Makombe (Harare Sports Club), Josh Smallbones, Simba Gonese, Craig Elcombe, Scotty Jones, Liberty Mutowonzi, Wilson Seremani (Old Georgians), Patrick Tenesi, Kudzai Mashavi (Police Defenders), Loyd Machanjaira, Jafet Ndebele (Busters), Itai Vambe (Old Hararians), Kuda Chiwanza (Sharks Academy SA).
Online Reporter