Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THEY might be some 7 724 kilometres apart, but that has not stopped Zimbabwe coach Nsikelelo “Sykes” Sibanda from keeping a tight leash on his charges who are in Cote d’Ivoire for the Rugby Africa Division One Women’s tournament.
Like most local rugby enthusiasts, Sibanda will today be forced to watch the Lady Sables take on hosts Cote d’Ivoire in the opener online, after failing to travel with the team due to work commitments.
As the seasoned gaffer confessed,” I will be with the team in spirit and watching online.
“In fact, we have been in daily contact and we have a working plan for me to talk to the team during the half-time break. The team arrived well and appear to be in good spirits ahead on the tournament opener.
“We did have a couple players eat some spicy foods and get a case of the running stomach, but that is now all in the past. Everyone is now raring to go,” he said.
Zimbabwe are part of the four-team second tier tournament, slated for April 9-20, which will also include Tunisia, Uganda and, of course, hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
The tournament will be played under a round robin format with the team with most points at the end of the competition earning promotion into the elite continental group.
There, they will be able to slug it out with some of the top African countries for the sole ticket to the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Unfortunately, the Lady Sables are currently the lowest ranked team in the competition, but that has not stopped Sibanda of dreaming big.
“It is true that we go into the competition as underdogs, as the lowest ranked team, but we have done our homework and the girls are as ready as they will ever be.
“We will just have to take it one game at a time, starting with the match against hosts Cote d’Ivoire tomorrow (today).
“If the girls show up, follow the game plan we work on for weeks prior to departure, then I don’t see why we can’t do well,” he said.
Sibanda is also on record saying instant promotion will be a bonus with the main objective being to blood in some of the younger players and start building a team for the future. It is against this background that the Zimbabwe Lady Sables coach selected a hugely youthful team when naming his travelling 30-member squad.
