adminFungai Muderere
THE Zimbabwe women national sevens rugby team,A� the Lady Cheetahs carry the countrya��s last hope of Olympic qualification for the sport when they head into the repachage tournament in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday and Sunday.
Led by the highly experienced Charity Mucucuti, the Abigail Kawonza-coached Lady Cheetahs have been thrown into pool A where they will meet Russia, Samoa and Madagascar.
In order to stand a chance of qualifying for the Rio Olympics, the Zimbabwean women have to finish second in their pool to make it through to the quarterfinals.
The mena��s side failed to seal a spot at the Olympics at the qualifiers held in Monaco last Saturday and Sunday where Spain qualified.
The Daniel Hondo-coached Cheetahs finished third in their pool with losses to Ireland and Samoa with their only victory recorded over Tonga.
Zimbabwe booked their place in Ireland with a fourth place finish in the Africa Cup Sevens staged in Johannesburg, South Africa in September last year.
Only one team will qualify from the repachage playoff in Ireland where 16 countries are in contention. Sevens rugby makes its debut at the Olympics while the game itself last featured at the biggest sporting showcase in the world in 1924 in Paris.
Zimbabwe national women sevens rugby team
Charity Mucucuti (captain), Margaret Magwaro, Caroline Malenga, Peace Sithole, Precious Marange, Simbisai Kadye, Ruvimbo Musere, Rumbidzai Chabveka, Constance Ngwende (vice-captain), Lindiwe Munerenyu, Rumbidzai Chigumba, Getrude Masora.
Online Reporter