It’s do-or-die for Young Sables

unbeaten in this tournament but the stakes are heavy in the final with the winner in today’s game securing the sole ticket to be Africa’s second representatives apart from South Africa at the Junior World Rugby Trophy tournament in Chile next year.
Over the past six years, the two rivals have dominated the game in Africa.
First it was Namibia who won the opening three editions of the tournament, lifting the cup from 2006 to 2008.
Zimbabwe then took over the show in 2009 and have beaten Namibia in the past three finals to claim the junior continental championship.
Today, the Young Sables, now a familiar outfit at the global competition, will be aiming to make it four in a row over the Namibians.
But it is definitely not going to be an easy afternoon for Zimbabwe against the plucky Namibians who have also impressed in earlier Pool A matches.
They hammered Tunisia 44-7 in the opening game last Saturday before accounting for Kenya 39-11 on Wednesday while the Young Sables had a slow start to the tournament with an unimpressive 13-10 win over Kenya.
However, On Wednesday Brighton Chivandire’s boys were on fire with good playing patterns and an unshaken defence that was well supported by solid forwards and an equally hungry attack.
The backline was mobile with flyhalf Luke “Rhuka” Masarire commanding the line very well supported by centre Kudzai Mashawi’s eye for the gap the back three of Takudzwa Kumadiro, Lance Chikodzi and Tarisai Musakanda.
This is the reason the Young Sables handed Tunisia a 42-0 hiding giving the boys confidence and self belief that they can make it for the next edition of the JWRT next year.
It is from this performance that Zimbabwe hope to carry on and make their dream come true and with the aid of home advantage, the Young Sables want to repeat last year’s feat.
Of cause there is a lot of pressure coming with this game but Chivandire and his technical team have been working hard to make sure the boys soak it up.
“It’s an important fixture and the boys know it that this is a big one for us, we tried to get the players relaxed and they know that in as much as it is an important fixture, it just is a fixture at the end of the day.
“At this stage it’s up to the boys to put their heads up because as the technical team we have put in all we have, correct attitude and self belief is all we need to carry us through.
“We just need to go out and play and not worry too much about anything because it’s now all about doing the things we know and doing them well and I am happy with the way we have prepared,” said Chivandire.
In the front row Reece Surtees makes a comeback into the starting XV at hooker having missed Wednesday’s clash against Tunisia following a bad cough, Kudakwashe Makuvire comes in at loose head prop as Thabani Ndaba is moved to tight head prop.
Lazarus Chisaya has been moved from hooker to number six, becoming the only change in the loose forwards completing the changes that have been made to the side for this afternoon’s game.
The former Sables coach has had a chance to watch and study how his opponents are playing and surely they are a different side from the one that lost to Zimbabwe last year as they are showing real intention of being crowned champions.
“They (Namibia) came ready to play and we can tell from the way they have played in the past two fixtures but I am also looking forward to our boys to come out and play well.
“Namibia are a very good side and I think their results and performances in this tournament show that. They are very quick, well organised on the set-piece and good both in open and broken play. We will have to find ways to match them for us to have a chance of winning.”
The Young Sables took time to enjoy themselves with a game of soccer at Harare Sports Club early yesterday, before shifting attention to the core business with the captain’s run.

Zimbabwe line-up
1-8: Kudakwashe Makuvire, Rees Surtees, Thabani Ndaba, Joshua Smallbones (captain), Tinashe Gwenzi, Lazzie Chisaya, Alva Senderayi, Tapiwa Tsomondo.
15-9: Tarisai Musakanda, Lance Chikodzi, Richard Chigumba, Kudzai Mashawi, Takudzwa Kumadiro, Luke Masasire, Ian Surtees.

Today’s Fixtures: Morocco v Zambia (11.30am), Tunisia v Kenya (1pm), Uganda v Madagascar (2.30pm), Zimbabwe v Namibia (4pm).