Zim ready for Kenya

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
ZIMBABWE will make full use of lessons they learnt in their loss to Namibia when they take on Kenya this afternoon in the Africa Rugby Gold Cup tie at Hartsfield Rugby Grounds.

Sables coach, Cyprian Mandenge said losing 26 -31 to Namibia taught them vital lessons which he believes will assist them as they continue their campaign in the Gold Cup. Mandenge said the major lesson they learnt was that they should take full control of the game until the final whistle.

He said while there could have been decisions that went against them in the Namibia game, they had to shoulder the blame for the loss.

He said losing to Namibia was a painful learning curve but added it was necessary to go through such losses if the team is to grow and improve.

Mandenge said they also learnt the importance of running down the clock to maintain pressure on the opposition.

“You have to manage the game, you can’t control the referee, you can’t control the opposition, so you just have to manage the way you play.

“In that game, we were given a penalty advantage that never ran and they took the ball and went on to score but we could have slowed it down because we were leading then, could have gone for posts to run down time or go for score which would have meant they kick the ball back to us and we are still in possession even if we don’t score,” he said.

The Sables coach said he is well aware of the threat that Kenya poses but they are ready for the match.

“Both teams want to win the game and I know it is going to be a fast and physical game. We have been preparing well for it and we are ready for the Kenyans.

“Last year we didn’t do so well because of the many challenges off the park but this year things are running smoothly and the guys are really focused on the game,” he said.