Magunje out of Cheetahs squad

Lloyd Swift has been called in for trial for the World Series squad.
Having taken part in the Safaricom Kenya Sevens, Magunje will not be part of the side that is preparing for the IRB World Sevens Series after the ankle injury he suffered in Nairobi got worse on the first day of camp yesterday.

The speed merchant was largely expected to recover from the injury and team manager Bruce Hobson said medical examinations had earlier shown that he could make it.
“He collapsed on that injury during lunch and it is sad he will not be part of the side that we will select our travelling party from.
“But we have another player called Lloyd Swift who came in from Australia where he is at a university and we are going to have a look at him,” said Hobson.

Swift was part of the 2007 Zimbabwe Under-19 side that was captained by Andrew Rose and took part at the Junior World Rugby Championships in Belfast, Ireland, where they finished seventh.
Hobson added that the Germany based duo of Manasah Sita and Gardner Nechironga have been exempted from camp and, if selected for the back-to-back tournaments, will have to fly to Dubai on Sunday.

“They have club commitments and they will not be able to take part in the Zimbabwe camp.
“Letting them play for their clubs was a tight call for us.
“We will have to base their selection on how they performed in the recent tournaments they played for the Cheetahs in comparison with the way the guys in camp perform then we might call them for

Dubai and they will have to fly straight there,” added Hobson.
Winger Justin Coles from England arrived at the weekend while the South Africa-based duo of Tafadzwa “Marubber” Chitokwindo and Jonathan McWade are expected in this morning.
The Cheetahs had a strength and conditioning session at the Country Club in the morning and are expected to have a fitness test today before acting coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba takes his charges to the field for the rest of the week.

Nyamutsamba is in charge in the absence of England-based coach Liam Middleton who at the weekend saw his side move to the top of the Championship midway through the league games.
The Zimbabwean saw his side come from 33-17 down to beat Cornish Pirates 37-33 and return to the top of the Championship as Pirates scored took a 16-point lead with 18 minutes left on the clock.
“I have maintained confidence in the players over the last few weeks but it’s been a hard time for everyone. There has been a lot of pressure on us, a lot of unhappiness and a lot of hard words spoken.

“But all the way through, I quietly maintained an enormous confidence in the group and they showed an unbelievable work ethic today – not just character, but they worked hard.
“I thought we were the fitter side at the end of that and you don’t get there without working hard, so I’m full of praise for the players – it was a bonus-point victory they deserved.
“Games like that reveal characters, because the players were under pressure – not just in the game but over the last few weeks.

“That pressure has revealed good characters and we have definitely got those in the club. We’ve just got to push on now,” Middleton told the British media.
Cheetahs Squad: Jacques Leitao (captain), Fortune Chipendu, Japhet Ndebele, Lloyd Machanjaira, Wes Mbanje, Mike Morris, Tangai Nemadire, Gerald Sibanda, Daniel Hondo, Justin Coles, Manasah Sita, Gardner Nechironga, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Kudakwashe Chiwanza, Simbarashe Gonese, Jonathan McWade, Njabulo Ndlovu, Graham Kaulback, Lloyd Swift.