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Paul Munyuki Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Rugby Union’s decision to let director of rugby Liam Middleton run the show in the Sevens game after he imposed himself as coach backfired at the weekend as the Cheetahs could not impress and failed to last the distance in the second tier core membership qualifier tournament.
The writing had been on the wall two weeks before the Cheetahs played in the Hong Kong leg of the Sevens World Series that they were highly likely not going to make it as a core member because of the in-house fighting.
And over the weekend in Hong Kong, the Cheetahs fell 12-17 to Italy in the quarter-final extra-time of the core membership qualifier with scores having been tied 12-12 at the end of regulation time.
Two-and-a-half weeks ago, Middleton appointed himself as the Cheetahs coach and went on to take charge of the side in the Zimbabwe invitational tournament at Harare Sports Club where coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba watched from the terraces.
Instead of standing their ground and sorting out the mess after the tournament — or even before — to at least let the rightful coach Nyamutsamba take over, the John Falkenberg- led ZRU board saw it fit for Middleton to continue.
And as results over the weekend have shown, this was one of the worst decisions that the ZRU made this year.
Under Nyamutsamba at the same tournament last year, the Cheetahs won the Hong Kong leg of the World Series and brought home the top prize after an impressive run in Asia but it was unfortunate that the ZRU saw no need for continuation.
The Cheetahs could not even make it to the semi-final stage after they allowed Italy to come from behind and snatch a 17-12 win in the extra-time of the game as both teams had finished tied 12-12 in regulation time of the quarter-final tie.
It was Zimbabwe who drew first blood through captain Jacques Leitao in the second minute when he got the first five pointer for the Cheetahs but his effort was not well complemented by flyhalf Lenience Tambwera, who missed the kick for the bonus points.
Within two minutes Italy replied with a Alessandro Tartaglia try but the Cheetahs were fortunate enough to go into the break with scores tied at 5-5 because Itlay kicker Steven Bortolussi did not do good with the conversion as well.
Prolific winger Stephan Hunduza was quick on the scoreboard to thrust Zimbabwe into the driving seat again and this time Tambwera was on target to give the Cheetahs a 12-5 lead.
Unfortunately, this was the last time the Cheetahs put up any point on the scoreboard, allowing the Italy and to once against come from behind and level terms with a little under two minutes on the clock through a Steven Bortolussi try that was converted by second half substitute Andrea Buondonno.
But the game had to be decided in extra-time after both sides had finished the game tied 12-12 and with just 27 seconds in extra-time Zimbabwe were already in agony as Italy were through to the semi-final.
Earlier in the day the Cheetahs had beaten Russia 14-5 to finish top of Pool E having worked their way past Chile and Barbados on Friday but it proved tough for Zimbabwe to maintain their unbeaten run on day two of the competition.
However, in a tournament Zimbabwe failed to make significant progress, Hunduza was elected amongst the best seven players of the second tier teams and was named in the Dream Team that comprised the best seven players over the weekend.
Hunduza was the only Zimbabwean who was picked for the Dream Team that included the duo of eventual World Series qualifiers Lote Tuqiri and Lomano Lemaki from Japan, Oliveiro Fabiani and Fabizio Sepe from runners-up Italy while Russia had Evgeney Nepeyvoda and Hong Kong’s Yiu Kam Shing.
Zimbabwe are expected back home tomorrow afternoon.
Online Reporter