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Mehluli Sibanda , Sports Editor
GODFREY Magaramombe will lead the Zimbabwe men’s sevens rugby team at the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 to be held over two weeks in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Magaramombe takes over the Cheetahs captaincy from Kudzai Mashawi who retired in November last year after leading the team at the Rugby World Cup Sevens held in Cape Town, South Africa.
The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 is taking place on April 20 to 22 and on April 28 to 30 at Markotter Stadium in Stellenbosch.
Zimbabwe is part of the 12 men’s teams that will be in action over the two weekends, with the other countries being Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Uganda.
The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series replicates the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four.
The top two from each pool as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and semi-finals leading to the bronze and gold medal matches.
Introduced in February 2020, the Challenger Series was brought in to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe and provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the pinnacle HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Japan were the inaugural men’s champions after topping the cumulative rankings from the two rounds hosted in Chile and Uruguay in 2020.
The first women’s competition was scheduled to take place in Stellenbosch in March 2020 but had to be cancelled due to the onset of the global pandemic.
Following a one-year absence, the Challenger Series returned in August 2022 with a standalone combined event hosted in Santiago, Chile, which saw Uruguay men and Japan women take the titles and secure promotion to the current edition of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Zimbabwe will be looking to put up a much improved display after struggling at last year’s Challenger Series in Chile where they finished eighth out of 12 teams.
The only win for the Graham Kaulback coached Cheetahs was a 36-5 triumph over Jamaica in the group stage where they finished third.
Zimbabwe squad: Tapiwa Malenga, Emmanuel Zangari, Vuyani Dhlomo, Ryan Musumhi, Godfrey Magaramombe (captain), Kudakwashe Nyamakura, Martin Mangongo, Munopa Muneta, Carlos Matematema, Tadius Dzandiwandira, Nigel Tinarwo, Munesu Muneta, Takudzwa Kumadiro
Management: Graham Kaulback, Ricky Chirengende, Margie Gibson — @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter