adminFrom Percival Sizara in DURBAN, South Africa
OLD Mutual Zimbabwe rugby Under-18 captain Stuart Marriot-Dodington has called upon his troops to pick up their game as they take on Griquas in their second Craven Week game at Kearsney College this morning.
The match starts at 11am.
It’s another Griquas test for the Young Sables who come into this game with heads high, after beating Griquas Rural 16-9 on Monday and hoping to record their second consecutive victory at this year’s edition.
According to the Craven Week rules, all teams will make at least eight changes to their starting XV — a move meant to give all players a chance. Old Mutual Zimbabwe will be without Desmond Annandale who has been ruled out of the tournament due to concussion.
Nonetheless, Marriott-Dodington expects the available crew to put in a shift. “We have got a lot of work to do. We have got to pick up our game to much higher levels if we want to win the next two games.
“We are very capable of doing so, but if we play with the calibre we played on Monday we are not going to get anywhere. We need to lift it to a much higher level,” he said.
The Zimbabweans get into battle with Griquas who are searching for their first win at this tournament after losing their opening game 36-54 to Namibia.
Old Mutual Zimbabwe coach Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa, however, does not expect an easy game especially with the Griquas seeking a win and being wary of how good the tourists can be on their day.
“I don’t think anybody beyond that will be nice to us on Wednesday (today). There are big provinces here. When you come here whoever they give you; we got boys that will play on Wednesday.”
Although this will be an almost different starting line up from the one that beat Griquas Rural, Murambiwa still looks forward to seeing improved technique and skill from his Young Sables.
“We were not accurate at all (in the first game). We were looking like first time teams which is terrible and disappointing when you coach you know guys passing the ball behind people those kind of things. If you look at the stats we only attacked in the second half when the first half we didn’t attack so it’s an area we want to improve.”
Squads
OM Zim: Samuel Garnett, Tinashe Chaza, Cleopas Kundiona, Tonderai Chiwambutsa, Daniel Hutchings, Stuart Marriott-Dodington, Tichaona Hwangwa, Tendekai Chigwendere, Connor MacMillan, Benjamin Meredith, Matthew MacNab, Rodney Sachiti, Rangarirai Mariwa, Martin Mangongo, Marcus Nichole, Simbarashe Maringa, Desmond Annandale, Liam Burnett, Godfrey Magaramombe, Jeremy Munyeza, Nqobisile Ncube, Peter Davis.
Griquas: Andre Du Toit, Anton van Romburgh, Byron Du Plooy, Heinrich Klopper, Bernard Jansen, Japheth Muzaza, Rian Kotze, Jacques Ackerman, Chadd Adams, Willem Petrus Du Plessis, Cameron Hufke, Ruan Schultz, De-an Ackerman, Gladwyn Nieuwenhuizen, Ashwill Botha, Justin Murphy, Willem Schalk Coetzer, Edwill Speelman, Jody Schmidt, Neil Coetzee, Dehan Du Plessis, November Chadwin, Edmund Brand.
Online Reporter