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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Under-20 rugby coach Shaun De Souza has attributed the team’s positive results and progress to hard work and commitment following a fruitful outing that saw them coming second at the Under-20s Canada Conference.
The four-team tournament featured Chile, Uruguay, Zimbabwe and the hosts Canada.
The Junior Sables beat Canada 34-24 in their opening game before losing 31-12 to eventual winners Uruguay in the second match.
But they bounced back and defeated Chile 43-35 in the last game on Tuesday to finish second overall behind Uruguay.
The team returned home yesterday.
“It was a good outing by the boys. We went there to showcase what we can do and see where we are compared to the other teams and the results are a testimony of what we have put in work and commitment.
“And it’s a blessing that Zim rugby can actually compete at that level. So all we are going to do is go back to the drawing board and keep working hard and try and maintain the standards so we can keep competing at that level.
“It was fortunate by World Rugby to create this opportunity for us to play because this tournament is actually only due to commence next year.
“So it gave us a platform just to see where we are building into next year’s tournament. It shows what we can do and definitely we can compete next year when we qualify for this event.
“We rebuild for the Barthes Trophy in April again next year, we retain our title there and then we fight for a spot in the Junior World Trophy later on in the year,” said De Souza.
The Junior Sables are the current African champions after winning the Africa Under-20 Barthes Trophy in Kenya early this year.
“The major driver has just been commitment. The boys have been committed to the cause. The dream that Zim rugby definitely has a future and the passion.
“The passion on my technical team, the work that we have put in, the tireless weekends that we spent working with these boys trying to get the team into shape, getting the guys coming from university from the UK, from the United States and joining the squad.
“That’s all commitment and we are just hoping now that we get recognition for what we have done and we can take it to the next level.
“To be honest, as a coach, you always have a plan, and a dream.
“My dream was two out of three and we have attained the two out of three. so I am quite happy,” said De Souza.
Captain Takudzwa Musingwini was full of praise for his teammates as he said their participation in Canada was a success.
“I think the outing, the tournament in Canada was actually a success… And I think us going early, and acclimatising, it actually gave us a little bit of settling because that side it’s actually hot, it’s humid.
“So then playing in those conditions, it was really hard.
“But I am really happy that the team managed to actually pull through because the team bond was there, the chemistry was there because a lot of us have actually played each other like ever since primary, secondary school up until right now. So I think experience was quite good,” said Musingwini.
His co-vice captains Tanaka Gondomukandapi and Carl Kwodza said it was a good experience for the whole team, playing in a different environment.
“It was definitely a different experience for most of us. I feel like playing rugby at that level is just mind blowing.
“So I feel like the results, I mean no one really expected the turn out.
“It’s very good experience to have under your belt because like to obviously play rugby at that level is very different from rugby in Zimbabwe. The intensity, the pressure, everything is just different like obviously they play different rugby from us.
“It’s the first time I can actually say we had to play like tactical rugby where we plan our games before and have a meeting… So it’s a good experience for everyone’s rugby, for growth, for change. So we were very excited,” said Gondomukandapi.
Kawodza, who was playing his last year at junior level, said it was good to finish on a high note.
“I don’t have much words to say. It was my last time playing Under-20 rugby. So it was just nice to go with the boys.
“It was good fun, nice experience and I had a lot of fun, the team had a lot of fun and we brought back the wins,” said Kawodza.
Online Reporter