Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE’S Sables leave the fireworks of Denver behind and head to Charlotte this weekend with one target: derail the US’ Nations Cup momentum.
Zimbabwe lost 26-36 to Tonga on Saturday at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park.
They stayed to watch the hosts edge Portugal 30-26 in the tournament opener.
The win doubled as a Fourth of July celebration, with fireworks marking the US’ 250th birthday.
“We are pleased to get a win for our rugby community on the Fourth of July,” USA coach Scott Lawrence said.
“We stuck to the basics and the game plan. The best part is we still have a lot we can do better.”
For the Sables, it’s a chance to reset after the Tonga defeat. There was encouragement in the second half, where they came from 19-9 down and almost stole it.
Winger Edward Sigauke drove the fightback, creating tries for Godfrey Muzanargwo, Tino “Blithe” Mavesera, and scoring one himself.
“The game went alright,” assistant coach Ricky Chirengende said.
“Our target was to hurt Tonga in the last 20, and that worked. But concentration fell at the death, and we leaked points.”
Chirengende said the Tonga display was a big step up from the 40-0 loss to South Africa A.
“We are at a point where people are noticing Zimbabwe is not here to add numbers. We are here to compete and win,” he said.
“At half-time, we were brutal and honest. The guys took ownership of their mistakes.”
In Charlotte since Monday, the focus has been on fixing set-pieces.
“Our line-out didn’t tick, and that killed our attacking platform,” Chirengende said.
“We also need to be braver in transition. If we get the ball to our dangerous players, things will happen.”
The USA are structured and accurate and will have a loud home crowd. But Chirengende expects Sables support too.
“Morale is good. Training intensity is picking up,” he said.
“We know the Zim fans will come out in numbers to spur us on.”
The team showed great resilience and character in a second-half performance led by the antics and heroics of winger Edward Sigauke.
The winger was instrumental in almost all of Zimbabwe’s second-half tries by Godfrey Muzanargwo, Blithe Mavesera, and himself.
“However, our concentration levels fell off at the death, and we leaked a few points.
“That then saw us losing the game,” he said.
Chirengende, however, said he believes the team is starting to gel and show great improvement. Their performance against Tonga was a marked improvement from the thrashing the Sables took at the hands of South Africa A.
That lifeless performance saw Zimbabwe lose 40-0.
“I think we are at a point where people are starting to notice that Zimbabwe is not just here to add numbers,” said Chirengende.
“We’re actually here to win, and that has always been our marker.
“We are not here to add numbers, but we are here to compete and win,” he said.
On the storied half-time pep talk, Chirengende added: “We just challenged each other to be better at certain things.
“We are quite brutal and honest with each other, and the guys took ownership of their mistakes and weaknesses.
“Credit to the players for taking ownership of where things were going wrong and where they could fix,” he said.
“We also need to be a little braver with our transitions, where we were quite good.
“If we can capitalise on those transitions and move the ball to our dangerous players, then things will happen for us.’’ he said.
