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. Fungai Muderere
THE inaugural two-day Kwese Victoria Falls Sevens rugby tournament roars to life on Saturday with Cheetahs head coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba saying the contest should provide a platform to select a strong national side.
From a pool of over 100 players, there is under 50 to pick from.
a�?We started working with 150 players, a squad which we have trimmed to 30. I think this tournament will help us identify good players for national team assignments. I know the boys will be fighting out for recognition,a�? said Nyamutsamba.
The KwesA� Victoria Falls Sevens comes after Zimbabwe endured a disappointing Africa Cup campaign, finishing behind eventual championsA� Uganda and Kenya as well as Namibia.
At the tournament which will feature foreign teams that include Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana, Zimbabwe will field three teams Cheetahs, Goshawks and Presidenta��s Seven.
The Cheetahs have South Africa-based players in captain Hilton Mudariki, Biselle Tshamala, Brian Dube and Mkhululi Ndlela, who linked up with home-based players Gardner Nechironga, Stephen Hunduza, Lucky Sithole, Lenience Tambwera and Boyd Rouse.
The Zimbabwe team has been preparing in Harare and Bulawayo and they started training together in Victoria Falls on Wednesday.
Northern Region-based players passed by Hartsfield Rugby Grounds Tuesday where they were joined by teammates from the Southern Region before making the trip to the resort town.
Zimbabwe Rugby UnionA� (ZRU) president Nyararai Sibanda also reckons that the local tournament will be big.
a�?Ita��s a significant tournament which we believe will give us the ideal platform to come out with players that can help us do well in future assignments.
a�?We need to build a strong foundation courtesy of this tournament. It has to deliver us to nexta��s World Cup,a�? said Sibanda.
The Zimbabwe Sevens side is targeting to qualify for next yeara��s Rugby World Cup Sevens to be held in San Francisco in the United States as well as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Online Reporter