Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
MORALE within the Sables camp might have taken a hit, but they were once again back on the rugby pitch as they prepared for their next assignment yesterday.
Zimbabwe’s performance has been a topic of debate as the Pacific Islanders beat the Sables 43-7 in their World Rugby Nations Cup clash at the DIY Kitchens Stadium in Wakefield, England, this past weekend.
Scoreline aside, Samoa dominated Zimbabwe in every department, with only debutants Jason Robertson and Lemon the positives from the Sables’ lifeless performance. “Yeah, it was a tough result for us,” said Sables skipper Hilton Mudariki.
“We had some good moments, but ultimately we weren’t consistent enough over the 80 minutes.
“On the other side, Samoa’s experience and physicality showed.
“They put us under pressure, capitalised on our mistakes and built momentum. However, overall, we made things difficult for ourselves,” he said.
The result left Zimbabwe still searching for their first win of the World Rugby Nations Cup after commendable performances and losses against Tonga (36-26), the United States of America (32-15) and Canada (21-19) during the July international window.
This past weekend’s defeat to Samoa was their fourth and leaves them stuck at the bottom of their pool with two points.
Uruguay are next, and the Sables camp believe that they stand a chance of pulling off the upset.
Despite their pedigree, the South Americans have not had the best of campaigns in the World Rugby Nations Cup. After four games, Uruguay have one draw and three defeats.
They drew 36-all against Romania and have lost to Spain (18-12), Hong Kong China (40-42) and Georgia (34-41). And Mudariki is hoping that the Sables can take the few positives from their Samoa defeat and overall performance during the Nations Cup to finally win a game.
“We have showed we can compete with quality opposition,” he said.
“Dale’s try was a great positive, but our discipline, execution and consistency need to improve.
“We need to improve our discipline, execution and decision-making under pressure.
“We also have to be more clinical and take our opportunities when they come.”
On their next opponents, Uruguay, he added: “We have already started looking at them.
“They are a quality, physical side, so we know we’ll have another tough challenge ahead.”
Another positive for the Sables was the debuts of Lemon and Robertson, who both showed their quality during the match against Samoa. “Both boys did well stepping into international rugby,” said the skipper.
“Dale (Lemon) getting his first try was a special moment, and it’s great to see new players coming through and contributing,” he said.
