Young Sables leave today

performance at this year’s edition of the global showcase.
The Young Sables are rated as the best junior rugby side in Africa, outside South Africa.
Brighton Chivandire’s charges qualified for the tournament after winning the Junior Africa Cup that also doubles up as the qualifier for the JWRT.
A win against bitter rivals Namibia in the 2010 Junior Africa Cup, held in Côte d’Ivoire when they beat rivals Namibia, was good enough to see them get a second straight ticket for the world event.
And the excited group of Young Sables, led by captain Marco Mama, is expected to leave for Georgia today where they have been drawn in the same pool as Japan, Canada and the hosts.
National Rugby League president and Sables manager, Noddy Kanyangarara, believes the boys have what it takes to finish in a better position compared to the previous edition.
“The side has a lot of experience because most of the guys play in the league games and so they are exposed to the bigger rugby players week in and week out.
“It is certain that they are going to meet very big boys at the tournament and that is where the experience of them playing in the league helps.
“I am sure they will put up a better performance in Georgia because they have players who took part at the tournament last year and that is also experience,” said the former Old Hararians assistant coach.
As part of their preparations, the Young Sables played the Under-23 Select at the Cottco schools’ rugby festival in a match that was pregnant with intense rivalry.
Old Hararians’ coach Max Madziva was in charge of the select side that included players who have taken part at the JWRT – Scotland-based former captain Andrew Rose, Luke Rutter and Danny Robertson.
What made the match exciting was the fact that the Under-23’s wanted to give a strong impression to the Sables selectors, who were watching, and looking for players that could make it for the side’s Africa Cup campaign.
Old Hararians fullback Lungile Tshuma made a good impression that saw him making it for the final JWRT side.
“In the first half against the Under-23 select the side was a bit subdued as they were playing together for the first time but the second half showed us that they started to gel well.
“They started to work well and scored 14 unanswered points in the second half a sign that they can be a better side if they spend more time together.
“I saw them training yesterday (Wednesday) they looked very confident and they were in high spirits so I wish them all the best in their endeavours,” said Kanyangarara.
The Under-20 tournament is divided into two categories namely the Junior World Cup that comprise eight teams, and is the top tier, while the JWRT is the second tier competition.
South Africa are the only other African team that takes part at the junior tournament and, by virtue of being the top African rugby playing nation, they do not participate in the qualifiers.
Rutter – together with the likes of Dante Mama, Charles Jiji Takudzwa Mandiwanza, Daniel Turner and Biselele Tshamala – was part of the side that took part at last year’s edition of the JWRT in Moscow, Russia where the side finished seventh.
The former Young Sables’ forward believes the current side will do better.
“They are really a well-drilled side, they look a serious side and just has the players that are able to put it (the game) together,” said Rutter.
“The fact that they played a senior team is good because they are going to face players of almost the same size and strength as us when they go to Georgia and that was just an insight of what they might be exposed to,” said the former Young Sable. Former Sports Commission secretary-general Edward Siwela said he was convinced the boys will rise from last year’s seventh place to finish among the best.
“I am told that the boys finished seventh last year but there is nothing unrealistic about the boys finishing among the top teams this year and I am sure they will be among the top teams,” said Siwela.
The formart of the tournament is that the team that finished top is promoted to the Junior World Cup and the other three that would have made into the top four get an automatic qualification for the next edition.
Under-20 Squad
Zeru Makomva, Tatenda Karuru, Murray Bryce-Rodgers, Takudzwa Jaravaza, Regis Mutangadura, Farai Jijita, Sean Joubert, Takudzwa Mandiwanza, Charles Jiji, Thomas Nelson, Dylan Coetzee, Kuda Chiwanza, Justin Coles, Corey van Rensburg. Simba Gonese, Ian Muza, Delroy Sibanda, Kuda Mudariki, Sean Linfield, Takura Tela, Marco Mama, Graham Logan, Lungile Tshuma, Victor Mushoriwa, Marcus Nel.
Coach: Brighton Chivandire
Assistant: Godwin Murambiwa
Doctor: Austin Jeans, Physio: Margie Gibson