Sevens face tough time in SA

From Mehluli Sibanda in Middelburg, South Africa
THE new-look Cheetahs have a tough assignment on the opening day of the annual Middelburg Sevens Rugby tournament at Middelburg High School in Mpumalanga, South Africa, this afternoon. Zimbabwe have been drawn to play against former sevens rugby champions Wales, the Springboks Sevens and a South African Select side Living Ball.

The four teams will, however, all proceed to the quarter finals of the tournament regardless of how they play in the pool matches. Cheetahs coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba has brought with him a team with some new faces as he looks at building a team for the future.

Nyamutsamba said the tough matches against Wales and South Africa will give his younger players the much-needed exposure.

Speaking soon after the team’s training session last night, Nyamutsamba acknowledged that it was not going to be a stroll in the park for the Cheetahs in this tournament where they bowed out in the semi-finals last year.

“It is going to be tough for the boys, especially the new faces in the squad, playing against Wales and South Africa is going to be a big shock for them.

“This is the first step in rebuilding the team, we want guys to get used to playing at this level,’’ said Nyamutsamba.

The Cheetahs are without a number of players who represented the country at the International Rugby Board Sevens Rugby World Cup in Moscow, Russia. In the absence of Leitao, Fortune Chipendu will lead a team that also has the experienced Wesley Mbanje, Gardner Nechironga, Lucky Sithole, Njabulo Ndlovu, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo and Kilvan Magunje.

Only 11 players attended yesterday’s training session after South Africa-based Ndlovu failed to make it to Middleburg after missing his flight from his Cape Town base
Besides the Cheetahs and Goshawks, the country is also represented at the tournament by the national women’s team the Pangolins as well the Mbare Junior Rugby Academy who will play in the Under-18 category.

The men’s Cup final of the two-day tournament is on tomorrow.