Zim defends Junior rugby title

after they were promoted last year having won the Pool B competition but Chivandire does not believe it will be an easy game.
“Age grade competitions are not really predictable and we have to take every game very seriously because if we look at the Junior World Rugby Trophy last year, the United States finished seventh after beating us by a point.
“But this year they were a completely different side, beating former Junior World Championship side Tonga and going on to win the JWRT and so this gives us the picture that we should not under-estimate any team because any side is capable of winning.
“It is not about where they are from but it is about us taking the game seriously and the fact that this is also the first game makes it even more difficult as none of the teams know how their opponents play,” said the former Sables coach.
Zimbabwe take on Kenya in the final game of the day at Prince Edward’s Jubilee Field with kick-off set for 4pm with the hosts’ main aim being to qualify for the next edition of the JWRT. The Under-19 tournament is divided into two groups and the hosts have been drawn against Kenya, Tunisia and former champions Namibia in Pool A.
Pool B features Harare Select — who replaced Uganda — Morocco, Madagascar and Zambia. The format of the tournament is such that the winner of Pool A becomes the junior African champion and also goes on to represent the continent at the 2013 edition of the JWRT set for Chile next year.
The team that finishes last in the pool is automatically demoted to Pool B with the winner of Pool B gaining promotion into the elite world trophy qualifying group.
And last year’s Pool B winners Kenya surely do not have an easy task ahead of them as they are set to take on the defending champions in front of their home crowd. Kenya coach Paul Murunga feels that Zimbabwe are going to present a huge challenge for them.
“Zimbabwe is a big challenge for us because we are coming from Pool B while they are the defending champions and generally this is the group that has the cream of junior African rugby.
“We can just hope for the best but all we know is that this game will help us gauge where we are.
“We aim to remain in this group because we do not want to go back to Pool B. So we just have to put in our best effort.
“We have to take each game at a time and improve with each passing game but we have to win our last game and that is important if we are to stay in this group,” said Murunga.
However, Kenya have brought fairly bigger players compared to the side that toured Zimbabwe last year for the same tournament and only have four players from last years side. “Last year we had average sized players but the time of preparation was longer, this year, as you can see the boys are a bit bigger.
“But I am happy that the boys are very confident of themselves despite only having four players from last year,” added Murunga.
Fixtures
Harare Select v Zambia, Madagascar v Morocco, Namibia v Tunisia Zimbabwe v Kenya (4pm),
Squads: Zimbabwe XV
Forwards (1-8): Thabani Ndaba, Rees Surtees, Kudakwashe Makuvire, Matthew Lawson, Joshua Smallbones (captain), Daniel Rorke, Tawanda Chowe, Tapiwa Tsomondo.,
Backs (15-9): Tinashe Toriro, Lance Chikodzi, Richard Chigumba, Kudzai Mashawi, Takudzwa Kumadiro, Tarisai Musakanda, Robert Sargeant,
Kenya
Derrick Mayar, Seth Omae, Kevin Orangi, Francis Mwita, Jacob Owaa, Michael Ndalila, Victor Onyango, Robert Aringo, Caesar Onyango, Martin Muita, Billy Odhiambo, Haron Ongera, Lameck Oluoch, Samuel Odhiambo, Amon Ledama, Mulroney Amunabi, Maxwell Kangeri, Calyton Nelson Nyandat, Humphrey Owuor, Michael Omondi, Mohammed Omollo, Samuel Ogolla Raduolo, Elton Magotsi, Lionel Chidemu.