adminSurely, life has not been what coach Brighton Chivandire and his boys were expecting as they aimed to win at least one game and finish in the top three of Pool B.
The closest the Zimbabwe Under-20 side came to winning was when they suffered a last minute defeat to Japan in a nail-biting 36-39 loss in the opening game of the tournament.
From then, the boys never recovered.
Two other defeats followed as the Young Sables were handed a 7-43 hiding at the hands of Georgia in the second game while Canada finished off Zimbabwe with a 66-45 beating to see the Sean-Linfield captained side finishing bottom of Pool B.
The story was the same for Russia, who finished bottom of Pool A without a win, and were just a pale shadow of the side that finished third in the competition last year.
At least, Zimbabwe have three (bonus) points to their credit, Russia have zero.
However, Young Sables assistant coach Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa believes his side needs to fight till the end and feels they are capable of getting the better of Russia and finish seventh in the eight-team tournament.
“We have not managed to reach our target but that does not mean we have to relax but we have to take the last game equally serious and we target to beat Russia and finish seventh.
“Finishing seventh will be a positive thing in that we have a number of players in this team who are still eligible to play at next year’s (JWRT) tournament and so if we win the game against the Russians, as a franchise, that would be a positive.
“I also take a win against Russia as an improvement because last year we finished eighth in Georgia after losing (30-29) against the United States so if we go one up I guess that would give the players who are going for the Junior Africa Cup some light.
“We obviously are not happy playing a seventh place-play off but maybe this is a lesson or sign that we should not set targets too big for us but we have to take it step by step and smaller steps will get us there one day,” said the former Sables coach.
And like their previous two opponents, Georgia and Canada, Russia have a big pack and this is where the Young Sables have been finding it difficult.
However, if they are able to pull a leaf from Japan — who despite having the smallest players in the tournament are in the final — then the Young Sables might be able to travel back home with a win out of four games.
The Japanese play a very supportive style of rugby, they are very fit and well-conditioned and even if they are of small body frames, they have proved a very difficult lot to deal with despite taking on the big boys as their forwards are very tight.
“We are not only looking at the game we are playing against Russia but we have to look beyond as well because we are still going to need to qualify for the JWRT and next year improve to finish in a better position.”
Probable XV
Forwards: Thabani Ndaba, Tyran Fagan, Andries van Heerden, Mathew Lawson, Michael Sinclair, Tawanda Chowe, Tapiwa Tsomondo, Joshua Smallbones
Backs: Robert Sargeant, James Forrester, Joshua Broomberg, Takudzwa Chieza (captain), Mclean Muhambi, Brian Ndudzo, Victor Mushoriwa
Replacements: Kudakwashe Makuvire, Daleroy Sibanda, Graham Logan, Tonderai Chigumbura, Daniel Rorke, Michael McIntosh, Richard Morkel.
Online Reporter