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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe national sevens rugby team, the Cheetahs will face off against World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series defending champions South Africa during the Dubai leg next month.
According to the draw released by World Rugby on Wednesday, Zimbabwe are in pool A where their opponents are South Africa, Argentina and Samoa. Matches will take place at Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 30 November and 1 December. From Dubai, the Cheetahs will head off to Cape Town for the South Africa leg of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series to be played on 8 and 9 December.
Indications are that the Cheetahs will open the Dubai Sevens with a clash against South Africa in what is certain to be a tough encounter for the Zimbabweans seeing that the Neil Powell coached Blitzbokke won the 2017/18 World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series ahead of Fiji and New Zealand.
Despite poor preparations, the Gilbert Nyamutsamba coached Cheetahs were recently crowned Africa Cup Sevens champions in Tunisia with a 17-5 triumph over Kenya in the final. The win made sure that Zimbabwe will play in the Dubai, Cape Town and Hong Kong Sevens. In Hong Kong, the Cheetahs have an opportunity to become a Sevens World Series core member when they take part in Qualifier.
In April this year, the Cheetahs finished third in their pool at the Hong Kong Qualifier with a 17-10 triumph over Papua New Guinea being their only victory. They lost 27-7 to Germany and 19-14 to Hong Kong.
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