adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Sevens rugby side have been handed a fair Sevens Africa Cup draw.
The Cheetahs are in the same group with African giants Kenya and Tunisia ahead of the Sevens Africa Cup rugby tournament set for Harare Sports Club towards the end of November.
Twelve teams are expected to take part in the two-day event that will be used to select Africa’s representative at the Hong Kong leg of the World Sevens Series next year.
The winner of the Africa Cup will proceed to the second tier Hong Kong tournament where the winners will be promoted to become a World Sevens Series core member for the 2015/16 season that starts next October.
Kenya are seeded second while Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Namibia and Uganda are the other teams that complete Pool B while powerhouse and top-ranked South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Senegal, Madagascar and Tunisia make up Pool B.
“It’s a tough pool for us especially that we are going to play Kenya who seem to be our biggest challenge there and Namibia are a side that we can expect a good game from. But at the end of the day, we have to play well and make it at least to the (Cup) semi-final if we are to be counted amongst the big boys of African rugby.
“Nigeria are a good side given the experience we had against them the last time we played them as we struggled to beat them because they have a contingent of British-based players who they usually bring for this tournament; you never know what they would bring,” said Gilbert Nyamutsamba, the Cheetahs coach.
The format of the tournament is such that following the round-robin stage, the winner of Pool A will go on to face Pool B runners-up in the first semi-final while the second semi-final will be made up of Pool B winner against runners-up from Pool A in the Cup knock-out stage.
The last time Zimbabwe won the Africa Cup was exactly two years ago when they conquered in Morocco, winning all their games without suffering a loss, beating Tunisia 31-12 in the Cup final.
Then the Africa Cup was used to select the continent’s representative at the 2013 World Cup in Moscow, Russia, where Zimbabwe achieved their highest ranking at the global showcase, finishing 13th under the guidance of coach Nyamutsamba.
However, last year hosts Kenya won the continental show-piece with Zimbabwe finishing second following a 19-24 loss in Mombasa, but Zimbabwe, by virtue of making it to the final against a core member, won the right to play in Hong Kong early this year.
And this year’s tournament will also include South Africa which means the highest placed side outside Kenya and the boys from Down South will earn the ticket to play in Hong Kong, something Nyamutsamba is hopeful they will be able to do.
“We are at a stage where we are re-establishing the side because a number of players left last year and the main focus is the 2017 World Cup so we will have to give our best in all the tournaments we will play in and that is our long-term goal,” said Nyamutsamba.
And in preparation for the Africa Cup, the Zimbabwe Sevens Committee, led by chairman Donald “Brasco” Mangenje, have re-structured their selection process, introducing an open door policy where all those who feel they have what it takes to make Zimbabwe proud are welcome.
“Training has already started for selection this year. We have made it open to all interested in Sevens rugby and we have started with sessions in both Harare and Bulawayo and these are open to everyone.
“From there we are going to have the regional Sevens Summer Series starting on November 1 in Bulawayo while the next two legs will be played in Harare and that is all part of the selection process of the final tournament on November 15.
“After these games then we will announce our provisional squad for the Africa Cup tournament which we will trim down to 12 following a training camp that comes just before Sevens Africa Cup,” added the former Cheetahs and Sables winger.
Africa Cup draw
Pool A: Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Namibia, Uganda
Pool B: South Africa, Tunisia, Botswana, Zambia, Senegal, Madagascar.
Online Reporter