Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Junior Sables closed their final training session yesterday with a burst of confidence as head coach Shaun De Souza confirmed the 34 players who will carry Zimbabwe’s hopes at the World Schools Festival in Abu Dhabi.
The squad is split into two sides, the Junior Sables and a High Performance team, both heading out for the tournament set for December 14 to 20.
“Yeah, selection has been a process,” said De Souza. He explained how the group took shape over the past two months, starting with an alignment camp in October.
Two more camps followed as the technical team worked through a wide pool of players drawn from schools and the high performance classes of last year’s Greatness programme.
“Some we already knew from our high performance classes in the Greatness programme from last year, and we knew they were going to come and continue with our pathway this year.
“We then selected from the school system or we identified players that we thought would be good in the high performance pathway.
“We also reached out to the schools and asked coaches to identify players from within their schools, which they forwarded, and they were part of those alignment camps. We then did assessments, we had internal scrimmages, basically trials that narrowed the squad down.” Zimbabwe will compete in the main cup draw alongside some of the strongest schoolboy rugby programmes in the world.
The confirmed teams include Nasinu Secondary School of Fiji, Uganda Schools Select, TSC, Saint Kentigern College of New Zealand, Paul Roos Gimnasium and its second side, the Junior Sables, and the Zimbabwe High Performance team.
“We are generally satisfied with the guys we selected. I think it’s a very talented 34-man squad,” said De Souza.
“There are still some players who were left behind and they will still be part of the high performance programme. We have, I think, close to 70 players that are still in our high performance system. “These guys that are going on tour will get the opportunity to express themselves, showcase what they can do.
“The guys left behind have an opportunity to put their hands up for selection going forward into our pre-Barthes games and Barthes tournament.”
Squad
Zimbabwe squad
Takudzwa Ernest Matsvimbo (Cpt), Wayne Kuraimunashe, Ethan Fouche, Nyasha Ngwarati, Vimbiso Kasvosve, Iphile Chigiji, Mayibongwe Ncube, Rufaro Shenje, Tavonga Chirisa, Joseph Ndovorwi, Bongani Msipa, Sibusiso Sibanda, Tapiwa Zhanda, Prince Ncube, Blessed Mukuwiri, Takudzwa Wellington Cheza, Prosper Zimbango, Brendan Musekiwa, Kudzai Chenda, Tapiwa Majuru, Andrew Maringa, Masawi Tanaka Masaw, PK Manyakara, Curtis Mashonganyika, Michael Chimedza, Nasha Kandewo, Phillip Chimhaka, Denzel Dhave, Joshua Thondhlana, Zane Elroy Sibanda, Joshua Chitehwe, Ethan Tendayi Chaponda, Donnell Muyaka, Munatsi Michael Tamuka Gutu
