adminPetros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE’S Cheetahs will feel they were full value for their trip to Italy after they settled for silver at the Roma Sevens rugby tournament over the weekend.
Gilbert Nyamutsamba’s Sevens World Cup side got their preparations for next month’s global showcase in the United States, back on track with some results that will no doubt boost their confidence levels.
The Cheetahs travelled to Italy missing six key players who stayed back home to do duty with the Sables in their Rugby Africa Gold Cup assignment against Morocco on Saturday.
But life needed to go on for the Cheetahs who will be one of only four African teams at the World Cup show-piece in San Francisco and Nyamutsamba took a blend of seasoned and rookie players and built his side around his German-based star Tafadzwa Chitokwindo.
The speedy forward obliged by leading the Cheetahs charge with eight tries.
Chitokwindo scored a brace of tries in the final but Italy clinched the game 17-14 with a last minute try.
Both Nyamutsamba and stand in manager Gerald Sibanda were satisfied with the competitiveness of the Cheetahs in Italy.
Sibanda, former Sables and Cheetahs international, who has returned to assist the Sevens squad, was standing in for regular manager Donald Mangenje.
According to reports from Rome, Zimbabwe began the tournament with a thumping 45-0 victory over Namau Islands — a select side of players drawn from France and Fiji.
In that game Zimbabwe found their tries through Kuda Chiwanza (2), Mkululi Ndhlela (2), Stephan Hunduza (1), Shayne Makombe 1 and Chitokwindo once.
Sibanda was pleased with that confidence-boosting start.
“We had a good start, we didn’t allow the opposition to get in the game, we moved the ball well and had good width in our play, defence was fantastic and we took our chances and scored good team tries,’’ Sibanda said.
Next up was United Kingdom outfit Harlequins who edged the Cheetahs 22-21.
“We were down 19-0 in the first half but second half we came back, with tries by Hunduza, Makombe and Chitokwindo but Harlequins scored a last minute drop kick from a penalty.
The Cheetahs then advanced to the quarter-finals after beating an Argentina select side 26-5 via tries by Hunduza, Makombe, Chitokwindo, and Tarisai Mugariri and three conversions from the boot of Boyd Rouse.
In the quarter-finals they faced Projecx Water Boys, a Scottish Select side whom they beat 19-12.
“Great two days of 7s rugby by the boys ahead of the World Cup.
“A determined performance with a lot of attacking flair made light work of the semi-finals as Zimbabwe cruised to a 33-5 win against a European select side (7 Sirs) to set up a mouth-watering clash against the hosts Italy in the final.
“In the final we got on to a good start as the Cheetahs led 14-5 at half-time with a Chitokwindo double but Italy clinched the game with a last minute try to win cup final 17-14.
“Shayne Makombe was named Man of the Cup after a good outing for the Zambezi Cheetahs and also scoring six tries in tournament.
“Coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba believes the targets for playing in this tournament were achieved, getting his players to gel as a unit and assessing other players due to the absence of six senior players who are with the Sables.“Mugariri, Francisco (Takudzwa), Nelson Madida, Chiwanza and Ndhlela came in the team and acquitted themselves well giving the coach a wider pool of players to assess and choose from ahead of the World Cup next month,’’ Sibanda said.
Online Reporter