adminfor disaster as the Sables committee had no option but to use the locally based players for the 10 day tournament after failing to secure funds to bring in the foreign contingent.
All but two of the players in the side are locally based and this has forced the Sables technical team to throw in 10 uncapped players for the tournament where they will play against professionals from South Africa and Europe.
Most of the Namibia players are based in South Africa, while some ply their trade in Europe and both the hosts and Spain are ranked above Zimbabwe who are using the tournament as a stepping stone in preparing for the World Cup.
But there is not enough money for the ZRU to bring in foreign based players save for South Africa based winger Wes Mbanje, Royal Mwale and Gardner Nechironga who flew themselves in.
However, the experience of senior players in the form of captain and lock Costa Dinha, centre Daniel Hondo, wingers Nechironga and Mbanje — who returns to the Sables fold after three years — Tangai Nemadire, and Fortunate Chipendu should come in handy. There is enough experience in the back line but Zimbabwe’s biggest problem will be in the forwards where locks Dinha, Chipendu, and Jan Ferreira and prop Vakai Hove are the only ones who have international exposure at this level.
That put against any of the two teams forwards they are going to play would be difficult to break through but the Sables remain positive.
Having won their last seven consecutive games and losing only once in the past 10 Tests they have played, the Sables led by stand in coach Cyprian “Supa” Mandenge are hoping to maintain their record.
Given the composition of the Zimbabwe their games are surely going to be a “David and Goliath” affair and Mandenge feels they have what it takes to come out with a favourable result.
“In all fairness we have to be positive so that we build on the momentum we have set over the past two years where we have won a record seven consecutive games because that is what we need to maintain.
“In the early stages of us making progress we lost to both Uganda and Kenya, but because we started playing more games we got on our feet to put up strong performances.
“But our approach with this tournament is that we have to take each game as it comes and Namibia are our biggest target because they are one of the teams we are fighting against for the World Cup ticket,” said Mandenge.
Zimbabwe are the lowest ranked of the three teams in the tournament as the hosts sit at 22, seven places better than Zimbabwe while the Europeans are two places above Namibia on the IRB world rankings.
The Sables were earlier this year crowned as the African champions while Namibia were last year demoted from the World Cup qualifying group and failed to bounce back after losing the promotional game against Madagascar. And this is where the Sables are drawing their strength from to score respectable position with the former Harare Sports Club coach indicating that there was healthy competition for positions in the side.
Namibia have, however, called in their full strength squad that includes foreign based players like Romania-based flanker Renaud van Neel, wingers Sergio de la Harpe and McGrath van Wyk, scrummy Eugene Jantjies.
From South Africa comes in Western Province Under -21 flanker Stef Nel, fullback Johan Theron, and winger Malcolm Moore, proving how serious the Namibians are taking the tournament.
Sables Squad
Forwards: Costa Dinha (captain) Tapiwa Mangezi, Pieter Joubert, Jan Ferreira, Vakai Hove, Royal Mwale, Tinoziva Chikobvu, Fortune Chipendo, Biselele Tshamala, Fidel Nyabusha, Lucky Sithole, Takunda Chifokoyo, Samson Makuku.Backs: Scotty Jones, Phil Machisa, Lenience Tambwera, Tichafa Makwanya, Wes Mbanje, Jafet Ndebele, Daniel Hondo, Danny Robertson, Shane Makombe, Gavin Nyawata, Tangai Nemadire, Gardner Nechironga.
Coach: Cyprian Mandenge
Manager: Losson Mtongwiza
Physio: Abigail Mnikwa
H.O.D: Sifiso Made.
Meanwhile, referee appointments for the three games have been made and Jackie Husselmann will be the only Namibian on the referee panel while the rest are from South Africa.
Highly-rated South African referee Jason Jaftha (27) will make his Test debut first in the opening match between Zimbabwe and Namibia as an assistant referee before taking the centre stage in the battle between the Sables and Spain.
Experienced test referee Marius Jonker takes charge of the other two matches in the series while Tian Jonker concludes the SARU team.
Online Reporter