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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
FOUR debutants have been named in the starting 15 for Zimbabwe’s 2019 Rugby World Cup qualifier opening match against Morocco at the Machinery Exchange Stadium inside Harare Sports Club this afternoon.
Lock Kudakwashe Nyakufaringwa, wing Matthew McNab, inside centre Brendon Mandivenga and fullback Shingirai Kasvere will be running out for the first time for the Sables against Morocco. United Kingdom based wing Dylan Baptista will also earn his first cap off the bench if given an opportunity this afternoon.
Sables skipper Denford Mutamangira will scrum down at loose head, with David Makanda at hooker while Farai Mudariki is down at tight head to complete the front row. Nyakufaringwa and veteran Fortune Chipendu make up the second row. The loose trio consists of Takudzwa Mandiwanza, Connor Pritchard and Tapfuma Parirenyatwa.
Hilton Mudariki has the responsibility of retrieving the ball in the breakdowns as well as throwing it into the scrums at scrumhalf. Lenience Tambwera has the duty of deciding whether to run with the ball or kick it once it comes from the set pieces at flyhalf.
Occupying the wings are McNab and Takudzwa Kumadiro. Mandivenga, Zimbabwe’s best player at the 2013 Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week when he played fullback makes his first Sables start at inside centre where he has Kudzai Mashawi on his outside while Kasvere is the last man in defence at fullback.
The Sables have been in camp in Harare since last Saturday and the final squad of 23 was announced last Thursday. Morocco arrived in Zimbabwe last Sunday, which is an indication of how serious both teams are taking this World Cup qualification match.
Sables coach Peter de Villiers, engaged by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union with his task being to take Zimbabwe to next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan has an opportunity to see how far his players have bought into style of play when they take on Morocco.
Zimbabwe Sables squad: Denford Mutamangira, David Makanda, Farai Mudariki, Kudakwashe Nyakufaringwa, Fortune Chipendu, Takudzwa Mandiwanza, Connor Pritchard, Tapfuma Parirenyatwa, Hilton Mudariki, Lenience Tambwera, Matthew McNab, Brendon Mandivenga, Kudzai Mashawi, Takudzwa Kumadiro, Shingirai Katsvere
Replacements: Mathew Mandioma, Gabriel Sipapati, Lawrence Cleminson, Brian Nyaude, Njabulo Ndlovu, Peter du Toit, Ngoni Chibuwe, Dylan Baptista
— @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter