Online Reporter
THE clash between the Sables and South Africa A is fast shaping up to be quite an enthralling encounter as the two coaches, Piet Benade and Mzwandile Stick, appear to have employed vastly different approaches.
The match is set for the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.
The Springboks, World Cup defending champions, play their season-opener against the Barbarians with the match between Zimbabwe and South Africa A slated to act as the curtain-raiser.
Stick has made the bold decision to name his starting XV well ahead of time with Benade making everyone wait until the eleventh hour.
It is believed that Benade will finally release his starting XV sometime tonight.
The Zimbabwe Rugby union Interim Management Committe have released a 26-men training squad for the match, which is pretty much a carbon copy of the team Benade took to South Africa for the SAS Training camp.
The 26-men squad happens to be foreign-based players heavy with most of the players called up plying their trade in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, France, Poland and Bahrain.
Only six local-based players have made the cut.
They are Tatenda Kamubvumbi, skipper Hilton Mudariki, Kudzai Mashawi and Aiden Burnett, Trevor Gurwe and Tadiwanashe Gwashu.
Among the others to receive the nod are seasoned campaigners likes of Tapiwa Mafura, Edward Sigauke, Bornwell Gwinji, Brendon Mudzekenyedzi, Keegan Jourbert, Liam Larkin, Farai Mudariki and Dylan Utete.
Among the new faces are the likes of Dale Lemon, Daniel Cooke, Michael Kumbirayi, Tjide Visser and Gary Porter.
Lemon and Cooke are both based in the UK while Kumbirayi and Porter ply their trade in South Africa.
Visser is under the books of French club Rugby Club Massy Essonne.
“We had a good week in Stellenbosch getting a lot of the boys together for the first time in 10 months,” said Benade.
“The energy has been good as we try to reintergrate the group again.
“We are looking at this challenge (South Africa A match) as an opportunity to grow and learn against a top quality side.
“Many of our players are not professional players but have earned this amazing opportunity to show their talents on a great platform,” he said.
Benade has revealed his glee at finally getting most of the players he wanted together as a group and has been using this opportunity to fine-tune his preparations ahead of Saturday’s match.
“One big challenge is always contact time together with our players coming from all over the world,” he said.
“So being able to pick many of the same players from the last 2 Africa cup tournaments certainly helps us reintergrate.
“We thank South African Rugby union for assisting us with this fixture and providing us with valuable preparation for the nations cup.
“For the Nations Cup next month, we are hoping to get more players to come in.
“We are targetting players Cleopad Kundiona, Godfrey Muzanargwo, Ian Prior and Matthew McNab, who can bolster the squad and add depth.
“However, this weekend’s fixture provides a massive opportunity for those on the ground to show us what they can do,” he said. – Planetrugby.com/Zimpapers Sports Hub
