adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
PEACE appears to be slowly returning to the Sables camp after a group of players who boycotted camp a few months ago showed up for training on Monday night. The players had vowed not to return into the Sables camp if certain conditions were not met. But on Monday night they were part of the technical training session at Old Hararians and went through their paces under the guidance of assistant coach Cyprian “Supa” Mandenge.
Zimbabwe are preparing for the Namibia invitational tournament set to get underway in three weeks time.
The locking pair of veteran lock Costa Dinha and Fortune Chipendu, flyhalf Tichafara Makwanya, utility backs Tangai Nemadire and Gardner Nechironga, prop Jakov Jakov, winger Kudakwashe Chiwanza and fullback Lungile Tshuma were all part of the training squad.
These are some of the players who signed a petition against manager Losson Mtongwiza arguing that he concentrated more on technical issues, interfering in selection and paying little attention to their welfare.
Then, Zimbabwe were preparing for the Africa Cup tournament and were forced to travel with a depleted side which eventually made it difficult for coach Brandon Dawson and his men to defend their title.
But the “rebels” have shown their value and were part of the Old Hararians and Old Georgians teams that made it into the final of the National Rugby League.
Dinha, Makwanya, Nemadire, Nechironga and Tshuma are all from the Old Boys camp where Mtongwiza is the chairman, while Chiwanza, Jakov and Chipendu are from the Old Georgians camp.
However, over the past weeks there have been some behind-the-scenes negotiations for a united thrust to take the Sables to the 2015 World Cup in England.
Sables extended squad:
Tatenda Murwira (OH), Kudzai Mudzekenyedzi (Mat Warriors), Fidel Nyabusha (HSC), Denford Mutamangira (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland), Nick Winwood (Blackheath, England), Alfred Sairai (OH), Pieter Joubert (OGs), Jakov Jakov (OGs), Keith Murray (OGs), Royal Mwale (Ballito Dolphins, SA), Sanele Sibanda (Harlequins, SA), Jan Ferreira (Mat Warriors), Simbarashe Bwanya (College Rovers, SA), Costa Dinha (OH), Michael Passaportis (Valence, France), Kingsley Lang (Jersey, England), Fortune Chipendo (OGs) Jacques Leitao (OGs), Tawanda Chowe (OH), Andrew Rose (Boroughmuir, Scotland), Biselele Tshamala (Varsity College, SA), Lucky Sithole (Mat Warriors), Njabulo Ndlovu (University of Western Cape, SA), Phil Machisa (HSC), Ian Armstrong (OGs), Hilton Mudariki (Amersham & Chiltern, England), Teddy Whata (HSC), Guy Cronje (Lions, SA), Boyd Rouse (OGs), Lenience Tambwera (HSC), Tichafara Makwanya (OH), Garth Ziegler (OGs), Daniel Hondo (HSC), Tatas Mutataguta (OGs), Simbarashe Chirimuuta (HSC), Leroy Mashiri (OH), Sean Moen (Blackheath, England), Takudzwa Chieza (OH), Manasah Sita (RG Heidelberg, Germany), Patrick Tenesi (OH),
Shayne Makombe (HSC), Tafadzwa Chitokwindo (Varsity College, SA), Gardner Nechironga (OH), Kudakwashe Chiwanza (OGs), Lungile Tshuma (OH), Tangai Nemadire (OH), Courtney Mwatsiya (Mat Warriors).
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