adminNgoni Dapira Sports Correspondent
MUTARE’s rugby stalwart, Ngoni Chibuwe, has been called for the Zimbabwe Rugby Union Presidents XV training camp to select a squad that will host South African provincial side Pumas at Hartsfield Rugby Grounds in Bulawayo next Friday. The Mutare-born professional rugby player, Chibuwe who is currently playing for South Africa’s Sharks Sevens rugby side came home last week and last Saturday trained with his ex-local club, Mutare Sports Club.
Sables coach, Cyprian ‘Supa’ Mandenge on Tuesday confirmed that Chibuwe was part of the 40 players called for camp.
He, however, said the players would be trimmed to a provisional squad of 26 players after all players, including foreign players join camp this weekend.
“Preparations have not been the greatest since the domestic rugby league is currently off season. However, fortunately several clubs have started training so most of the drafted players have been training and should be fit for camp.
All players drafted including foreign based players are expected to be in camp by Sunday so that we start vigorous training and selection of the final squad,” said Mandenge.
Mandenge said the friendly match against Pumas was expected to give exposure to some uncapped young players, both locally based and foreign ahead of the Africa Cup competition starting in June.
He said given their limited database of foreign based players there was an open invitation to all Zimbabwean foreign-based players who want to try out during the camp.
Mandenge is building a squad for the World Rugby 2019 World Cup qualifiers after the Sables narrowly missed out in the 2015 finals’ qualifier.
The game is being hosted by sports marketing consultancy, Kyros Sports, who last month successfully managed to bring Super Rugby sides the Cheetahs and Blue Bulls to play in Zimbabwe for the first time.
The Currie Cup giants are scheduled to become the third South African rugby franchise to tour Zimbabwe this year.
The Mpumalanga-based side, who are the reigning 2015 Vodacom Cup winners have won the Currie Cup First Division several times in 2005, 2009 and 2013..
Chibuwe said he was excited about the match.
He said such matches were good for exposure as he intended to advance his professional rugby career in South Africa.
“The Pumas are a good side and the exposure will be good for my budding professional rugby career. I hope to make the final draft, but nonetheless I am grateful national coach, Mandege called me up for camp,” said Chibuwe.
Last year in November, Chibuwe received his first cap for the senior national side, the Sables, after being drafted in the Hong Kong Cup of Nations tournament squad.
The 21-year-old utility back, who hails from the high-density suburb of Dangamvura, has been slowly making inroads in the rugby domain since high school at Mutare Boys’ High School and Hillcrest College where his skills were sharpened often being selected in the junior provincial and national team.
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