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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Cheetahs will get their Dubai Invitational Sevens underway in the United Arab Emirates today when they square off with French side 7 Fantastics.
Zimbabwe are in Pool A of the Dubai Sevens Invitational alongside Ireland, French sides Militaire and Fantastics.
They will also face Militaire later in the day, before wrapping up their pool assignments against Ireland Invitational tomorrow.
The Dubai Invitational Sevens competition will be played concurrently with the opening leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series.
As part of their preparations for the Dubai Invitational Sevens, the Graham Kaulback-coached Cheetahs recently took part in the Zambezi Challenge where they finished as runners-up in a tournament held at Harare Sports Club.
On their way to the final, Zimbabwe Cheetahs Beat U20 HPC 38-10 before a 36-17 victory over Spartans. In the semi-finals, the Cheetahs faced Red Arrows and won 15-12. They faced the Spartans of Botswana in the semi-finals and won 14-7.
With Kudzai Mashawi, who was the cheetah’s captain from last year having retired at the end of October, Tadius Dzandiwandira and Godfrey Magaramombe are the co-captains.
Notable additions from the team which did duty at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, South Africa, Emmanuel Zangari and Godknows Mavara, who play for Botswana club Spartans have been called up for national duty together with the experienced Takudzwa Kumadiro. Shadreck Mandaza, a Zimbabwe Under-20 exciting prospect has been included in the Cheetahs for the first time.
The Cheetahs will use the competition to prepare for a busy 2023 season, where they are scheduled to compete in the World Rugby Challenger Serie and the qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Zimbabwe Cheetahs: Tadius Dzandiwandira(co-captain), Godfrey Magaramombe (co-captain), Emmanuel Zangari, Tapiwa Malenga, Kudakwashe Nyamakura, Alex Nyamunda, Carlos Matematema, Ryan Musumhi, Godknows Mavara, Shadreck Mandaza, Edward Sigauke, Takudzwa Kumadiro
Head coach: Graham Kaulback
Assistant coach/team manager: Ricky Chirengende
Physiotherapist: Alice Randall. -@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter