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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE senior men’s rugby team co30has expressed his desire to win the Victoria Cup, a competition where the Sables will meet Kenya, Uganda as well as Zambia.
The Sables get into camp in Harare on Wednesday as they prepare to face Zambia in their first match of the Victoria Cup in the capital city on 13 July. Initially, Zimbabwe were meant to play Kenya away in their opening fixture on Saturday but that match will now be played at a later date.
Dawson, in charge when Zimbabwe last won the Victoria Cup in 2011, is eager to do the same this time around after being given the assignment of taking charge of the Sables.
“We want to win the Victoria Cup, that’s the main goal, we want to carry on building our team for the future, we want to build for the next World Cup qualifiers. We have to get everything right, we have to understand what we want to achieve,’’ Dawson said.
The former Sables skipper was handed the task of coaching Zimbabwe as they look to build a team for the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers. He was in charge of the Zimbabwe Rugby Academy when the team made a maiden appearance in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge where they played against South African provincial teams.
Dawson indicated that the strategy is to use the same players that played in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge, subject to their availability.
“The ideal plan is to use the same players we had in South Africa, obviously there are guys not available due to club and provincial commitments. There are new guys who are putting their hands up, there are payers I would like to see in Bulawayo and Harare,’’ he said.
Dawson is still to know if prop Cleopas Kundiona and lock Jan Ferreira will be available for the match against Zambia. Both players are based in South Africa with Kundiona having signed for the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks and should be in their plans for the Currie Cup competition. This year’s Currie Cup, where the Sharks are the defending champions, starts on Friday 12 July.
Sables training squad: Royal Mwale, Tyran Fagan, Henri Boshoff, Keith Murray, Matthew Mandioma, Neil Mawere, David Makanda, Cleopas Kundiona, Kudakwashe Chipunza, Godwin Mangenje, Jan Ferreira, Kudakwashe Nyakufaringwa, George Saungweme, David Kapuya, Biselele Tshamala, Blithe Mavesere, Brian Nyaude, Aiden Burnett, Godfrey Muzanargwo, Ernest Mudzengerere, Hilton Mudariki, Kuziva Kazembe, Brandon Mandivenga, Jeremiah Jaravaza, Martin Mangongo, Ngoni Chibuwe, Daniel Capsopoulos, Takudzwa Chieza, Shayne Makombe, Riaan O’Neil, Kudzai Mashawi, Takudzwa Kumadiro, Matthew McNab, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Shingirai Katsvere, Kudakwashe Chiwanza, Rufaro Chikwaira , Wesley Chiromo
Head coach: Brendon Dawson
Assistant coach: Tonderai Chavhanga
Defence coach: Liam Middleton
Conditioning coach: Daniel Hondo
Team manager: Jason Maritz
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Bongani Ndlovu