adminMbachi Mutukula-Maregere Harare bureau
ZIMBABWE coach, Cyprian Mandenge, says his charges need to work harder after watching them labour to a 19-8 win over Tunisia in the Africa Cup Group A1 rugby match at Prince Edward on Saturday.
The Sables won a contest against a Tunisian side that is yet to win in the current campaign.
All the Zimbabweans need now is a win to be champions.
The Sables, cheered again by a big crowd, opened the scoring with two early penalties by fly-half Tichafara Makwanya with the visitors responding through a penalty of their own from Chams Eddin Khalifa.
Lock Fortune Chipendu scored Zimbabwe’s only try of the match, just six minutes after coming in for injured Norman Mukondiwa, who left the field in the 20th minute.
Makwanya slotted home the conversion before Tunisia, who had trailed 3-13 at the break, hit back with a try from prop Mlise Mohamed early in the second half.
The Sables now need to beat a 2015 Rugby World Cup-bound Namibia in their last match on August 15 in Windhoek to win the Africa Cup.
But the Sables coach knows that won’t be an easy task and has asked his men to turn on an improved show if they are to be champions.
Tunisia’s latest defeat confirmed their relegation to the lower tier Africa Cup Group 1B after earlier defeats to Namibia and Kenya in the competition.
However, coach Mohammed Sahroui feels they will be back in Group A1.
“We brought a young squad who are still learning how to perform in big matches like the one we had against Zimbabwe,” said Sahroui.
“We didn’t play well in the first half and that’s why we didn’t win, the second half was better and I liked the way we performed even if we couldn’t win.
“Zimbabwe played well and well done to them.
“We’ve the potential to be a better team.”
Online Reporter