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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
GEMS coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki has once again underscored the need for friendly games ahead of their departure for the 2023 Netball World Cup to be staged in Cape Town, South Africa.
The 16-team tournament featuring the world’s top teams is due to take place from July 28 to August 6. This will be the first time the competition is held on African soil.
The Gems wrapped up their month-long camp over the weekend. It was their first meeting this year towards building-up for the global event.
Zimbabwe will be making their second appearance at the World Cup after securing their place during the qualifiers for the African continent staged in South Africa last year, in August.
With three months to go before the competition begins, Mutsauki, who was the assistant coach when Zimbabwe made their debut appearance in 2019 in Liverpool, believes they are on track in terms of their preparations.
But said friendly matches would go a long way in complementing their efforts towards preparations as they get a chance to assess the players in actual competition before the crucial assignment.
“Looking at our experience in Liverpool, and looking at our preparations so far for the next World Cup, I think we are in the right direction.
“But if we can get a friendly match — one or two friendly matches — it will give us a clear picture (of the progress made) and a chance to assess if we are really in the right direction.
“So far, from the players we have and what we have done and how they have responded, things are shaping up. And when the team starts shaping up, and is competitive even we play on our own, it means we are in the right direction.
“What is needed is more time for us to continuously train in camp together and then get a friendly game. If resources permit, we can have a friendly match.
“If we fail to get a friendly match then we will be hoping to play some friendlies when we go for the tournament in South Africa. It may help but our wish is to engage in some friendly matches before we leave for South Africa.”
The just-ended camp was targeted at local players with the hope that foreign-based players such as captain Felisitus Kwangwa will join later in the next expected camps.
Apart from the regular players such as vice-captain Claris Kwaramba, Sharon Bwanali, Tafadzwa Matura, Nicole Muzanenamo and Tanaka Makusha among others, the technical team also brought in some new faces such as 17-year-old Nikkie Mandeya.
“It was a very successful camp because I think we achieved our targets because we were concerned with our midfield. But right now it’s looking promising, there were positives during this camp.
“Looking at the foreign-based players we are expecting to join us, most of them are not mid-court players, they play defence and shooting. So for this camp we were working more on the mid-court because that’s where we were lacking. But we noticed some positive changes.
“Of course some players left before the end of the camp but the good thing is we had covered most of the groundwork because according to our plans, we spent a longer period with most of the payers before some left due to some pressing personal issues and commitments,” said Mutsauki.
Following an exceptional performance in 2019, where they finished on position eight on their debut, they will be hoping for an improvement. But it will take adequate preparation and support for the team to succeed in South Africa.
Zimbabwe were drawn into Pool A alongside 11-time world champions Australia, Fiji and Tonga.
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