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Fungai Muderere
THE Kwese Invitational Sevens tournament roars into life on Saturday with potentially explosive encounters set for Harare Sports Club Machinery Exchange Stadium.
Zimbabwe will use the competition to prepare the Cheetahs for the Hong Kong qualifier in April.
After the Kwese Invitational Sevens which ends on Sunday, Gilbert Nyamutsamba’s men will once again try to become a core member of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, something that has continuously eluded them over the years.
In a statement the Aaron Jani-led Zimbabwe Rugby Union(ZRU) said: “The two-day tournament will feature 10 senior men’s teams, five women’s teams and six local school teams who will play a total of 57 matches in two days. Matches will be played on a round robin format where three points are awarded for a victory, two points for a draw, one point for a loss and no points for a no-show.”
Zimbabwe will field two teams, Cheetahs and the Goshawks, at the invitational competition.
Some of the new players that Nyamutsamba has called include the Australia-based Hayden Wilson and a couple of former Zimbabwe Under-20 players.
The other men’s teams participating are Botswana, Georgia, Mbare Academy, Malawi, Lesotho, Uganda, Zambezi Steelers and Zambia.
For the women, Botswana, Lady Cheetahs, Matabeleland, Zambia and Zimbabwe A will take to the field on those two days.
It is the third time that the Kwese tournament is taking place, with the first two editions having been staged in Victoria Falls. The Cheetahs won the inaugural competition in 2017 with a 24-7 triumph over Namibia before they were beaten 10-5 by Kenya in last year’s final.
With the first two editions of the tournament not getting enough support in terms of attendance in Victoria Falls, ZRU reportedly decided to move the tournament to Harare where they are hoping to get a good turnout over the two days.
Prince Edward and Churchill Boys high schools will be a main attraction in the school boys’ section as the age-old rivalry between the two sides has always drawn a sizeable crowd in the capital.
Nyamutsamba is looking to use the Kwese Invitational Sevens to prepare the Cheetahs for the Hong Kong qualifier in April where Zimbabwe will once again try to become a core member of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, something that has continuously eluded them over the years.
Online Reporter