Mutamangira to make debut

Mutamangira only has 20 minutes of rugby for the Scottish club having come in as a second half substitute in his first appearance last week where they fell away to Melrose.
But his second half appearance was enough to gain the confidence of his coach who this week allowed him to be in the starting line-up of the sixth-placed team on the Scottish league standings.
This will be the first game into the second half of the season and Mutamangira yesterday told The Herald that the reception he got in Scotland was much better compared to South Africa.
The former Harare Sports Club forward had a stint in South Africa before re-igniting his love with local rugby club prior to his departure for Scotland where he is enjoying life.
“I am loving life here and I got a very good reception upon my arrival. The coaches treat us with respect and I feel at home here.
“It’s (the environment) much better than South Africa and I am enjoying it.
“I guess the fact that I am an international player helped me gain the respect I have but most of all I will be making my first starting appearance for Ayr and I would like to prove the reason the club signed me and why the coach gave me a starting place,” said Mutamangira.
He is the latest local rugby player to ply his trade in a professional league as his side have won the Premier Division in 2009 and followed that up with two consecutive Scottish Cup titles in 2010 and 2011.
“I am hopeful that we finish in the top three at the end of the season so that we qualify for the Scottish Cup and the British and Irish Cup.
“The club has set a huge profile and that is what successes is all about and I believe I am here to make the side a better team. I also fancy our chances of finishing among the top three.
“I have not had problems settling down here. The weather is not as cold as I anticipated though it’s usually wet and muddy which is a condition I was not used to play rugby in back home.
“The game here is tighter and the conditioning is very good here. Tomorrow (today) will be my first full game since September but with the conditioning I have gone through here I feel I will be safe.”
However, the former Churchill School forward said he was not pleased with the way he played last week as he did not reach his expectations.
“I didn’t reach my expected level but my performance was not bad.
“But being called in for the starting team was not a surprise for me and I don’t mind even if I am put on the bench because I believe that would be the coaches’ best decision in line with the game plan.
“All the same I will just have to do my primary business here which is to play rugby, be involved with the other players as a team and make sure we win our games, play according to the game plan and everything will go in order,” said Mutamangira.