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Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Sables fly out today for a Tri-nations rugby tournament in Namibia that starts on Friday with hopes high that they will get a positive result.
The competition will feature Zimbabwe, Kenya and the host nation, Namibia.
This is the second time that the Sables have been invited for a Tri-nations tournament in Namibia having lost all their matches to Namibia and Spain at last year’s competition.
Zimbabwe lost 33-37 to Namibia and 14-47 to Spain.
In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, the Sables captain for the tour, Daniel Hondo, said he was confident that his team is going to win.
Zimbabwe takes along five players who have never played for the Sables who are guaranteed to make their debut in Namibia.
United Kingdom-based scrumhalf Hilton Mudariki, loose forward Kingsley Lang, centre Sean Moan, the South Africa based front rower Kevin Nqindi and lock Michael Passaportis, who plays club rugby in France, are the uncapped players.
The only foreign based player who failed to make it to the travelling squad is second rower Graham Logan who plays club rugby in South Africa.
“Everyone is looking forward to the game. There are some players who are new to the system and I think they are going to add value to the squad as we prepare for next year’s World Cup qualifiers in Madagascar.
“We have played Namibia before, made some mistakes which I believe we have rectified and what we need to do in both our games is to try as much as possible to play in their 22 and make sure we score points. We have a number of seasoned players in the squad who can lead us to positive results,” said Hondo.
The Sables will play against their hosts on Friday evening before rounding off their participation when they clash with Kenya in another match set for Tuesday evening.
Zimbabwe’s match against Namibia is going to be officiated by respected South African referee Jonathan Kaplan in one of his last international assignments before he retires while Namibian Jackie Husselmann has been appointed for Zimbabwe’s encounter with Kenya.
The tournament is crucial for the Sables in that they will play against two of the three teams they will face at the International Rugby Board World Cup Africa qualifiers in Antananarivo, Madagascar, next year where the winner will automatically qualify for the England World Cup while the runners-up will still get a chance to go to England through a play-off process with countries from other continents.
Zimbabwe is bidding to qualify for the IRB Rugby World Cup for the third time after their appearances at the 1987 and 1991 edition.
Some of the experienced players that coach Brendan Dawson has selected for the Namibia tour include Hondo, speed merchant Gardner Nechironga, flyhalf Tichafara Makwanya and loose forward Jacques Leitao who captains the Zimbabwe Sevens national team.
Zimbabwe Sables squad
Props: Nick Winwood (Blackheath, England), Pieter Joubert (OGs), Kevin Nqindi (Belhar Rugby Club, SA), Fidel Nyabusha (HSC)
Hookers: Keith Murray (OGs), Royal Mwale (Ballito Dolphins, SA)
Locks: Jan Ferreira (Mat Warriors), Michael Passaportis (Valence, France), Martin Wolfenden (Cambridge RFC, UK)
Loose Forwards: Kingsley Lang (Jersey, England), Fortune Chipendu (OGs) Jacques Leitao (OGs, vice-Captain), Andrew Rose (Boroughmuir, Scotland)
Scrumhalves: Phil Machisa (HSC), Hilton Mudariki (Amersham & Chiltern, England)
Flyhalves: Boyd Rouse (OGs), Lenience Tambwera (HSC), Tichafara Makwanya (OH)
Centres: Daniel Hondo (HSC, Captain), Sean Moan (Blackheath, England)
Wings: Stephan Hunduza (HSC), Gardner Nechironga (OH).
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