Sibanda signs for Galashiels

Zimbabwe are expected to travel to Rabat, Morocco next week for the Africa Zone Sevens World Cup qual­ifiers where the top two teams will qualify for the global event set for Russia next year.
The Sables backliner will also not be part of the Cheetahs side that is expected to leave today for the Mid­delburg Sevens in South Africa as he is already in Scotland where he held his first training session with the Scot­tish champions yesterday.
His arrival at Netherdale makes him the third export from Harare Sports Club to Scotland this year fol­lowing the earlier departures of the duo of prop Denford Muta­mangira and flanker Shingi Mpofu who signed for AYR rugby club.
However, Sibanda becomes the first backline player from Zim­babwe to make the grade for a Scot­land team and his arrival this week at Netherdale has effectively ruled him out of the Cheetahs squad for the Middelburg tournament and the World Cup qualifiers.
Sibanda grabbed the attention of the Scottish giants’ scouts during the final back-to-back — legs of the Scot­land and England Interna­tional Rugby Board World Sevens Series in may last year when the player was featuring for the Chee­tahs.
Cheetahs and Harare Sports Club chairman Donald “Brasco” Man­genje, however, said they had granted Sibanda leave of absence from national duty said they granted him leave from national duty as he tries to settle at his new European base.
“Definitely we are going to miss him over the next two weeks, we would have very much loved to have him as part of the World qual­ifying squad but at the same time he had to go to Scotland.
“He has a lot of (international) experience and that was going to help us in the qualification process but as a Sevens institution we also had to consider his career as a player as he needs to make a living as well.
“It is such a big break for him into professional rugby and that is the reason why we granted him leave. He has always been dedi­cated to the Cheetahs available whenever we called him for national duty and so we believe that he is going to be avail­able the next time we need him.
“At the moment he just has to set­tle and adjust while new players are also fitting into the Cheetahs squad to create a wider and experi­enced player base thus increasing competi­tion within the team,” said Man­genje.
The former Cheetahs and Sables scrumhalf said Sibanda’s move also showed that Sports Club had grown and matured into the “side of choice that produces quality players of inter­national standard’’.
Mutamangira was the first player to be exported to Scotland by Sportivo early this year before Mpofu joined him last month and Sibanda becomes the latest over­seas export.
“This goes to show that we have grown and matured to be the club of choice. The fact that clubs are will­ing to get players from us is proof that we are a reputable club and these moves do not only bene­fit the players but the country as a whole.
“Sevens is looking at the Olympics, World Cup and the XV’s is also look­ing at qualifying for the 2015 World Cup and obviously these players will bring in a lot of experience from playing in more professional leagues.
“At the end of the day rugby is the winner,” said Mangenje.
The absence of Sibanda, Ger­many-based Manasah Sita, Graham Kaulback and Mike Morris due to injury will see Tafadzwa Chitok­windo making a return while Matabele­land Warriors flanker Lucky Sit­hole is set for his debut.
The former Zimbabwe Under-21 captain will be travelling with the Cheetahs for the first time while Kil­van Magunje seems to be getting more game time with the senior Sev­ens side.
Five Zimbabwean teams will be represented in South Africa at the Middelburg Sevens where the Chee­tahs and the women’s side the Pan­golins will be using the tourna­ment as their final preparations for the World Cup qualifiers set for Morocco next week.
The other teams are the schools Under-18 and Under-16 squads who will be taking part in the Craven Week Sevens while the Goshawks come in as the Cheetahs develop­mental side.
This years’ Middelburg Sevens has attracted teams from the West including Wales while Namibia and hosts the Blitzbokke come in as the other African teams in the two day tournament.
Zimbabwe Squads:
Cheetahs: Jacques Leitao (captain), Fortune Chipendu, Njabulo Ndlovu, Justin Coles, Lucky Sithole, Tangai Nemadire, Daniel Hondo, Gard­ner Nechironga, Jonathan Mcwade, Wes Mbanje, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Kilvan Mugunje.