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ZIMBABWE’s Seven’s national rugby team, Cheetahs, had a disappointing run at the IRB Port Elizabeth, South African Sevens World Series tournament held last weekend where they lost all their matches.
The Cheetahs are in a bid to qualify for core status in the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series at the Hong Kong sevens series next year in March from 22-24.
Over the years as a non-core member in the Seven’s World Series, the Cheetahs have participated in just three legs of the nine-legged circuit — hosted in nine different countries across the world namely, Australia, Dubai, South Africa, New Zealand, USA, Hong Kong, Japan, Scotland and England.
Apart from core-status membership, the 2014-15 Seven’s World Series will also serve as qualifiers for the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio, Brazil. With that background in mind and the Cheetahs’ second-rate performance in South Africa, Post Sport decided to interview some rugby analysts about the Cheetahs given the mammoth task in Hong Kong next year.
Manicaland Zimbabwe Rugby Union secretary and rugby coach, Makenzie Munetsi, said Gilbert Nyamutsamba was lacking modern 7’s rugby tactical play.
He said unlike 15’s rugby, which is more about muscle, 7’s rugby was more inclined to speed, agility and tactical play.
“We have to go back to the drawing board with the Cheetahs. I do not want to take anything away from Gilbert Nyamutsamba, but the Port Elizabeth series was evident that we lack tactical play.
“7’s rugby is not about size (muscle) but speed and agility. Look at the size of South Africa’s new 7’s rugby golden boy, Cecil Afrika, who is just 26 years old weighing just 70kg.
“Even so, Afrika is the current top scorer in the Seven’s World Series, but of the same size with most of our Cheetahs players if not smaller to some. If we want to get it right for core-status in Hong Kong next year in March let’s work on tactical play and fitness,” said Munetsi.
Munetsi added that Nyamutsamba must cast his net wider and look for fast, youthful players still light on their feet like South Africa’s new 7’s star Afrika.
He said that is why South African rugby kept making strides internationally, through its efficient junior policy.
Former South African University of Cape Town rugby head coach (2003-2009) and former Mutare Sports Club coach, Francis Makoni, said there was too much recycling of players in Zimbabwean rugby and a need to get more young players from schoolboy rugby.
“Half of the Cheetahs team played last year at the same tournament but if you look at the power house nations like South Africa and New Zealand most of the players were new faces in international rugby.
“There is too much recycling of players and little being done towards talent scouting, especially from schools rugby.
“Veteran players like Jacques Leitao are good but playing against fresh feet like Afrika, definitely he is no match,” said Makoni.
Makoni added that endurance and fitness was also lacking. He said there was need to get players in camp for at least a month and not just two weeks.
“The coach needs more time with the players and the players were clearly not match fit.
“They would only hold fort for the first few minutes and afterwards it was sloppy play.
“Our ball in hand we always gave away, which is why we never put points on the board and tired easily. We were defending for the greater part of the game,” he said.
Former Sables and Cheetahs player, Prayer Chitenderu, concurred that there was need for tactical play.
He said the Cheetahs were all-over the field and always playing to the game of their opponents rather than taking charge.
He said there was also need to take care of administration politics in ZRU to steer future development for the sport. “It seemed like we never entered with a game plan. There is need for more tactical play and for players to stick to a game plan, if there would be one?
“We have the talent but more needs to be done on scouting and more incentives need to be given to players to attract them to play the game.
“So far there is too much administration politics in ZRU, which is choking the game. This explains why they stick to old loyal players.
“Let ZRU first clean up their closet, otherwise Zimbabwe rugby will remain a sad, sorry state,” said Chitenderu. Zimbabwe was placed in tough group, pool B, with Australia, Argentina and Portugal, in the two-day tournament, but critics nonetheless feel the Cheetahs could have played better.
In their first encounter in the group matches on Saturday the Cheetahs lost 5-31 to Argentina.
In the second match the Cheetahs were thumped 50-0 by Australia, recording the biggest scoreline of the tournament and in the last group match played fairly well against Portugal but lost 19-5.
In the Bowls and Shield quarter finals on Sunday the Cheetahs lost 22-5 to Canada and 21-14 to Samoa respectively, making them come back home empty-handed.
South Africa won the tournament following a 26-17 win over New Zealand in the Cup final, while Australia and Argentina came out third and fourth respectively.
Online Reporter