adminJeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
Zimbabwe Sevens Rugby chairman Donald ‘Brasco’ Mangenje is pleased with the progress that the format has taken as it has resulted in the Zimbabwe Rugby Union increasing the number of players currently in the Cheetahs camp that started on Wednesday. The Cheetahs will be taking part in the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series event in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in
December and the team has benefitted from the recently-held Spar &Lion Summer Sevens won by the Old Georgians Dragons1.
“Sevens rugby has been well received locally and we were satisfied by the calibre of players that were at the Spar & Lions tournament, that is why we increased our training camp and we now have 20 players training,” said Mangenje.
New players such as schoolboys Morgan Vangue, Sean Coles and Brandon Boshi are among some of the rookies that caught the eye of selectors and their rapid rise in sevens rugby might land them a golden opportunity at representing Zimbabwe in the senior team.
“There is a growing interest in sevens rugby because it is fast and exciting, it is now a favourite in Zimbabwe with more people attending games and following tournaments just as much as they do with the 15s,” said Mangenje.
“Zimbabwe has been more successful in sevens rugby and it presents a chance for players to compete at the highest levels in the world because this format of the game suits us more and we have great prospects in it.
“It has grown in high density suburbs, if you look at the rise of the Mbare Academy you will see that sevens has been at the forefront of their successes.
“If you get to a situation where you can raise competitive teams from Mabvuku and Chitungwiza, like we saw in the summer series, then you know there is progress being made.
“We owe a lot of the progress we have made in developing not just sevens but rugby in general to our Legacy programme which has seen at least 300 junior players being introduced to rugby and this will go a long way in our players development until national team level.”
Cheetahs Squad
Fortune Chipendu, Tawanda Chowe, Sean Coles, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Boyd Rouse, Njabulo Ndlovu, Tapiwa Tsomondo, Biselele Tshamala, Farai Jijita, Sean Chigumbura, Stephen Hunduza, Kilvan Mangunje, Lenience Tambwera, Hilton Mudariki, Brandon Boshi, Gardner Nechironga, Wes Mbanje, Shayne Makombe, Sean Coles, Morgan Vangue, Tangai Nemadire
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