tawandamusarurwa
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
JUNIOR Sables head coach Shaun De Souza has given his seal of approval on the just-ended Nedbank Rugby Challenge, which he believes showcased some of the fine talent emerging in the domestic game.
The tournament saw hosts Harare Sports Club being crowned champions of the season-opening tournament, following a 34-28 win over old rivals Old Hararians.
A number of enthralling battles were on show during the two-day event, including a closely fought final between Sportivo and Old Boys.
Sportivo finished the two-day rugby extravaganza unbeaten.
“The Nedbank Rugby Challenge, as a whole, was indeed a success.
“The strength-on-strength theme of the event stood out, and we saw some exciting rugby on display throughout the weekend.
“The numbers, the turnout, were phenomenal, and the atmosphere and vibe of the event were just off the charts,” De Souza said.
De Souza’s national youth team also used the tournament to fine-tune their preparations for their Barthes Trophy campaign.
The Junior Sables participated under the banner of High-Performance Centre and gave two of the country’s biggest teams — Old Georgians (OGs) and Old Boys — a good run for their money.
De Souza’s charges even upstaged Old Boys 20-17, before narrowly losing 26-24 to OGs.
“This tournament plays a big role in the league, but we use it as a trial weekend for the Under 20’s High-Performance team that would have been selected into the Junior Sables.
“My boys’ performance was good; the first game against OH went down to the wire and we held our own.
“Fortunately, it’s not about the scoreboard, but rather about getting the systems, the combinations, game structure right. “We, as a technical team, wanted to see if the boys are ticking all the boxes, getting our phase play and many other key areas right.
“That was what was important, and I am happy to report that they did well,” he said.
With the Nedbank Challenge behind them, De Souza and his boys resume their preparations for next month’s Barthes Trophy, where they will be the defending champions.
The Barthes Trophy — slated for April 22-30 at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya — brings together the top teams in Africa, with the winner of this year’s edition earning a spot in the World Junior Rugby Trophy.
De Souza has his sights on a ticket to the World Junior Rugby Trophy, scheduled for July 15-30.
“At this stage, with four weeks to go, we still have a lot of work to do and we resume our training schedule of Sunday, Wednesday and Friday sessions.
“We will have our final camp from April 12 to 19, after which we hope to leave for Kenya.”
De Souza does have a couple of worries, as the team is not yet financially stable and the Junior Sables did not come out of the Nedbank Rugby Challenge unscathed.
A few players are currently nursing injuries. “We are still not financially stable; at this stage, we cannot confirm that we will be good to go for the Barthes Trophy.
“We have some promises but nothing concrete has come through, and we are still appealing to the corporate world to come on board and help.
“On the players’ side, there are a few knocks here and there, with the likes of Tanaka GondoMukandapi and Muzuva Gutu carrying shoulder injuries, while Dion Khumalo has a cut on his ear and Edward Sigauke got a knock on his nose.
“Tashinga Makiwa is still suffering a bit of damage to his ribs, but they are all in good hands and we are monitoring them closely.
“We will see how their rehabs go in the next two weeks, after which we will make a decision,” De Souza said.
Online Reporter