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Paul Munyuki Harare Bureau
THE Sables camp set to start tomorrow is expected to be a high-intensity affair as Zimbabwe rugby’s top two scrum-halves Hilton Mudariki and Charles Jiji have been named in the same squad for the first time.
Both players are equally good scrum-halves but are talented in different ways.
Jiji is the nimble-footed, pint-sized and unpredictable player while Mudariki has different skills and a different approach to the game.
However, Jiji has not had enough game time over the past year or so while Mudariki has been at the top of his game recently.
His involvement with the University of Johannesburg, where he has a full scholarship playing in the Varsity competitions, and the fact that he has been a regular feature in the Zimbabwe Sevens side makes him get the edge.
“I’m feeling good. It’ll be great to be back in camp with the boys after missing out on the Kenya game,” said Mudariki.
“Yes Jiji is a brilliant player. I feel that we play a different game which could work to our advantage versus Tunisia plus healthy competition between us will help us take our game up to an even better level.
“It was tough missing out on camp and the game but I feel going into camp we’ll work on the mistakes we made against Kenya and again big emphasis will be on our defence as that wins us games.”
Sables coach Cyprian “Supa” Mandenge says he is likely to be faced with a selection headache.
“Jiji and Mudariki are just like (fly-halves) Tichafara Makwanya and Lenience Tambwera.
“Both understand the game and are good at what they do and can help deliver results.
“It would be an exciting challenge because it puts pressure on the players to perform and competition is always good.
“We don’t have to make it seem like that other members of the team have permanent jerseys.”
Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union named the 28 players who will go into camp tomorrow and will miss four players who featured against Kenya in the form of eighthman Kingsley Lang, flanker Shingai Mpofu, centre Riaan O’Neal, and lock Sanele Sibanda.
Nico Nyemba, Tatenda Matoramusha and Tawanda Nkosi, Takudzwa Chieza, Boyd Rouse, Gavin Nyawata and Jonathan McWade have been included in the backline.
“We’ll be missing Riaan O’Neil because of club commitments and that’s why we’ve Gavin, we also are missing Gardener Nechironga, and the good thing about the backline players in camp at the moment is that they’re utility players.
“We can play around with them but I’m sure we’ve to move step by step thus the inclusion of players like (Carluke Tigers prop) Nico, Matoramusha, Nkosi, and Chieza, who are young players because we’re not just looking at this year’s campaign but building for the World Cup in 2019,” said Mandenge.
Matoramusha is still in school, doing his final A-Level studies at Prince Edward, Chieza and Nkosi graduated from the same school in the last two years.
Sables Squad
Forwards: Denford Mutamangira (captain), Kevin Nqindi, Farai Mudariki, Tatenda Murwira, Lawrence Clemenson, Royal Mwale, Antipas Kamkwindo, Biselele Tshamala, Andrew Rose, Fortune Chipendu, Jacques Leitao, Njabulo Ndlovu, Nico Nyemba, Norman Mukondiwa.
Backs: Charles Jiji, Hilton Mudariki, Tichafara Makwanya, Lenience Tambwera, Boyd Rouse, Gavin Nyawata, Stephen Hunduza, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Tangai Nemadire, Cleopas Makotose, Jonathan McWade, Taku Chieza, Tawanda Nkosi, Tatenda Matoramusha.
Online Reporter