admin
Brighton Zhawi
NEWLY-promoted Netball Super League teams want to upset the status quo when the 2016 season roars into life this weekend.
Pre-season tournament winners City of Harare, returnees Black Rhinos and Ruwa Queens all believe they have what it takes to compete in the top flight league.
City of Harare head coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki said winning the pre-season tournament was the perfect tonic.
“It was a great triumph for us and now the important thing is maintaining that form,” he said. “We have already achieved one of our major targets of winning the pre-season tournament and are looking forward to the league campaign. This season we want to finish in the top four, any position above that will be a bonus.”
Mutsauki, who is also the national Under-21 coach, expressed satisfaction with the talent at his disposal.
“We have retained three-quarters of our squad from Division One, so we have good team chemistry.”
City of Harare will use Stodart Netball Complex as their home base.
For Ruwa Queens, survival is the theme after they secured promotion via the last minute pull-out of Nehanda Co-operatives.
Coach Clive Karonga said, “We are very excited about the promotion because it is an opportunity to showcase the kind of netball that is played in Ruwa.
“We would like to promote more players from our area and hopefully we can produce national team players. I think we can survive the Super League, we retained most of our players. Our midfield is very strong, we just need to work on defence and attack.”
Karonga is happy with the support they are getting.
“We want to thank the Ruwa Council as they have chipped in to help the team. We are a five-year-old team and hope to survive for many more years to come. We plan to use Winwood College as our home ground,” he said.
Black Rhinos’ coach Rangarirai Musarurwa challenged the Army team to take its game to the next level this year.
“We want to prove that we are one of the best teams, we want to take our game to the next level,” he declared.
“We won the play-offs, we are playing good netball and I believe we can carry that form into the Super League.
“We know we will meet our fellow uniformed forces sides but to us it’s no big deal. Every game is important to us and we treat them the same.”
Online Reporter