adminannual festival.
In 2007, Murambiwa guided Zimbabwe to finish as the third best side at the week-long festival having beaten Border CD (11-6) in the opening game before overpowering Border (27-5) and rounding up their games with a 22-18 win against bitter rivals Namibia.
This was the first time since 1980, that the schools side had managed such a feat and finishing among the top three teams behind Free State and Blue Bulls was the best result Zimbabwe have managed at the 18-team competition.
Given there are seven players from last year’s side that took part in the 2012 Port Elizabeth edition of the festival, the former Sables coach is confident his boys will do enough to produce the best results.
Zimbabwe have been drawn in the same pool with Griquas, Border, Western Province, Blue Bulls, Limpopo Bulls, Namibia, Pumas, KwaZulu Natal and Boland and will face Griquas in their opening game on July 8, at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
From last year’s side, Thabani Mujeni, Rukudzo Gona, Nicholas Burnett, Brendon Mandivenga, Tapiwa Murangani, Barend Moolman and Alexander Zwart have retained their places in the side while Sebastian Roche and Brandon Scheepers have been left out of the team.
Scheepers was ruled out following knee injuries that he sustained two weeks ago that are likely to carry over the duration of the festival while Roche was technically incompetent.
The side also includes the likes of St George’s College winger Jabulani Mutukwa, who had a stint in England last year, and Mashaya, who was part of the Zimbabwe Under-19 side that took part in the Junior Africa Cup at Prince Edward School last year.
“We also have the likes of Brandon Boshi, another winger from St George’s College, who is very strong, Tawanda Ngosi, and in general this is the quickest back line I have had since I started coaching the Craven Week side. All the back liners can run below 11 seconds (per 100meters), they are so skilled and very quick and I believe we have what it takes to match the Class of 2007.
“Moolman, Mujeni and Murangani are playing their best rugby and there are also players that have graduated into this side from last year’s Under-17 and some have played at the Under-14 level so we have the experience. To make sure we have continuity into next year’s side we have picked the likes of Tanaka Gonese (flanker/eighth-man) a junior forward, Stephen Bhasera, a prop who weighs more than a 100 kilograms so I believe we will do well,” said Murambiwa.
Bhasera, Tawanda Ngosi and Tinashe Gonese were all part of the Under-17 side that won two of their three games at the Grant Khomo Under-17 festival in Johannesburg last year, under the guidance of coach Doug Trivella. But their opening game against Griquas will not be an easy assignment and their result will determine who their next opponents will be before taking on Namibia in the traditional junior Test at the festival.
Last year, Zimbabwe only won one game after beating Border CD in the opener but fell to Limpopo before a drama-filled loss to Namibia after the game had initially been cancelled due to bad weather in the seaside town.
“We want to play and we believe we are going to improve because Zimbabwe has to continue going to the World Cup (Junior World Rugby Trophy), and we have to continue playing at the Craven Week for our game to improve as well.
“Definitely, we are looking forward to the challenge and we know that South African rugby can only get stronger by the year, we last played Griquas in 2008, and lost by a point, we beat Border in 2007 and 2009, so with that in mind we have a good chance.
“Statistics here combined with the experience we have in our side, things are in our favour, we have the talent, all we need is just to be positive.
“Of course, our preparations are not going to be enough but there is nothing we can do about it, we just wish the schools would just co-operate then the preparations would be a bit better for us.
“We hope that in our 14 days of preparation and meeting in total, we are not going to have injuries in the build-up to the tour and already we are missing Scheepers who, however, have enlisted as one of the non-travelling reserves.”
St George’s College dominate the side with six players, St John’s College and Peterhouse have five, Falcon and Midlands Christian College both added two each while Hillcrest and Prince Edward School each have one.
Murambiwa added that the selection process mostly looked at continuity and in some cases it was better to bring in a junior player, whose form is as good as a senior player, as they already have a high number of senior players.
Craven Week Squad:
1-8: Mujeni (St George’s), B. Zwart (St John’s), T. Murangani (Peterhouse), Kufazvinei (St George’s), N. Burnett (St John’s), Bawden (St George’s), D. Moolman (Peterhouse), T. Gonese (Hillcrest).
9-15: T. Gwisai (MCC), R. Gona (St John’s), Mutukwa (St George’s), Mashaya (St George’s), Chadwick (St John’s), Boshi (St George’s), B. Mandivenga (Peterhouse).
Replacements: S. Bhasera (Falcon), Rorke (St John’s), Chikwezhero (Prince Edward), P. Mudambanuki (Peterhouse), A. Dollar (Peterhouse), J. Zietsman (Falcon), T. Ngosi (MCC).
Online Reporter