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their best performance since winning the Bowl at the 2009 World Cup.
The Cheetahs have not gone into any edition or leg of the World Series and come out as the top side of a second tier competition, let alone win all but one of their games, and this is exactly what they did in Asia over the weekend.
It was a close 22-19 win over Tonga that gave Zimbabwe showers of praises that they rightly deserve. On their way to the final, the Cheetahs beat Mexico 29-0 in the opening game of the tournament on Friday.
Zimbabwe’s kicking, however, proved that it was an area the Cheetahs should work on, especially going into the more competitive stages of Sevens rugby where all points matter, as Tangai Nemadire only managed one conversion in the final.
Of the four tries in the final — courtesy of a Garth Ziegler double, while the other two came from Gardener Nechironga and Njabulo Ndlovu — only one kick was on target.
On Day Two of the tournament, they (Cheetahs) carried on from where they had left on with a 27-0 win over the Cook Islands before losing to Russia 12-21 in the final Group G game but they never let the Russians dampen their moral.
Instead, they learnt from the mistakes they had made against the Russians and the Cheetahs showed technical superiority, going on to beat the same side 19-5 in the semi-final having overpowered Brazil 21-7.
Zimbabwe drew inspiration from this win and beat the fancied Tonga in the final.
Last year, at the same stage, the Cheetahs lost the battle for the World Series core membership with a semi-final defeat at the hands of Portugal where only three teams needed to qualify as core members.
Their last big silverware had only come in at the 2009 World Cup in Dubai where they won the Bowl. Then, the Cheetahs were under the guidance of Liam Middleton and current coach Gilbert “Gidza” Nyamutsamba was learning the ropes from the England-based coach. Grant Mitchell, Slater Ndlovu, Willis Magasa, Cleopas Makotose and Ryan Manyika have fallen by the way side while Lucky Sithole, Garth Ziegler, Kelvin Magunje, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Tapiwa Tsomondo, Njabulo Ndlovu have since come on board.
Together with Russia, Georgia and Tonga, Zimbabwe will compete for three available core team places on the 2013/14 HSBC Sevens World Series with Asian champions Hong Kong and the core teams ranked 13th, 14th and 15th after round 8 — the Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens.
It is here that they hope to complete the journey they started on the right footing by making it amongst the elite Sevens rugby playing nations in the world.
At the moment it seems there is nothing that can stop or drive back the Cheetahs in their campaign for core-membership as the players showed confidence, trust, loyalty and support for each other.
Maybe the policies and changes Nyamutsamba has introduced since taking over last year as coach are beginning to yield fruit.
Among some of the improvements that have taken place in the Cheetahs camp is the introduction of the player contracts system as they prepare for the World Cup set for June in Moscow, Russia.
The players signed six-month contracts which cover them up to their participation at the Sevens World Cup in Moscow.
More than 15 locally-based players were bonded from their clubs and now camp in Harare for the six months leading up to the 2013 Sevens World Cup with all their requirements catered for during this period.
Old horses, who include the likes of Wes Mbanje, Nemadire, Fortune Chipendu, Jacques Leitao, and Daniel Hondo will constitute the bulk of the players that are set to get contracts from the Sevens committee.
Cheetahs Squad:
Fortune Chipendu, Jacques Leitao (captain), Tapiwa Tsomondo, NJabulo Ndlovu, Garth Ziegler, Lucky Sithole, Tangai Nemadire, Daniel Hondo (vice-captain), Gardner Nechironga, Kilvan Magunje, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Wensley Mbanje.
Coach: Gilbert Nyamutsamba
Manager: Bruce Hobson
Cheetahs Results:
Final: won 21-19 against Tonga
Semi: won 19-5 against Russia
Quarter: won 21-7 against Brazil
Pool G games: Beat Mexico 29-0; Beat the Cook Islands 27-0; Lost 12-21to Russia (finished second behind Russia).
Online Reporter