adminSports Correspondent
THE 2014 Sevens rugby summer series roar to life tomorrow (Saturday), with two tournaments running concurrently in the Northern region (Harare) and Southern region (Bulawayo).
Mutare Sports Club will take part in the Northern Region tournament at Harare Sports Club, which comprises Old Hararians, Harare Sports Club, Police Defenders, Old Georgians, Southern City, Mbare Academy and Zimbabwe Development.
At Hartsfield in Bulawayo the Southern Region comprises of Matebeleland Busters, Old Miltonians, Western Panthers, Gweru Sports Club, Zvishavane Bulls and Masvingo select.
MSC chairman, Moss Kapumha, confirmed their participation and said the team was ready and aimed to reach the finals.
“The Shumbas have always had strength with fast backline players, of which speed and agility is vital in 7’s rugby.
“We will definitely give it our best and hope to get at least one of our players in the Cheetahs (National 7’s side) team,” said Kapumha.
Zimbabwe Rugby Union communications consultant, Godfrey Koti, said the Seven’s summers will as usual run in three phases, the round robin tomorrow, semi-finals on November 8 and the Cup finals on November 15.
He added that the summer series would be used to select the country’s best 7s players for the Sevens Confederation of Africa Rugby Cup which are set to be hosted by Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club from November 29 to 30.
“Already we have selectors who are going around the country to come up with a provisional squad, but generally the Sevens summer series will be used as the main platform to come up with a Cheetahs and Goshawks squad,” said Koti.
The Sevens CAR Cup is expected to draw 12 countries including the hosts, namely Kenya, Uganda, Tunisia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Namibia, Botswana, Senegal, Zambia, Ivory Coast and South Africa.
After the Sevens CAR Cup the Cheetahs will have a mammoth task in competing for core-status at the prestigious Hong Kong 7’s world series qualifiers in February next year.
The Hong Kong 7s is regarded as the premier 7s event on the International Rugby Board world 7s series.
If the Cheetahs win at the qualifiers in February they make the grade for core status in the elite Nine-leg World Series.
Online Reporter