THE Zimbabwe Sevens rugby team’s participation in the Potchefstroom Sevens in South Africa this weekend will leave them better prepared for the IRB Sevens World Cup Africa Zone qualifying tournament in Tunisia next month, says team manager Bruce Hobson.
The team leaves today for the North West city.
“We need game time and we need hard game time,” Hobson said. “Namibia will be there and Zambia will be there. The Pumas, the Bulls and the Lions will all be there. These are all very good teams. Plus we are taking 11 players which means the guys will have more game time than they would have if there were 12 players.”
Zimbabwe, carrying the title of Goshawks because they are missing a number of first-team players, are stepping up preparations for the highly-anticipated qualifiers in Tunis, where they will be of the three favourites to secure places for the World Cup in Dubai next March.
Hobson said of the team which is under assistant coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba: “We are missing some guys, but we’ve got Gardner (Nechironga), Jacques (Leitao), Manasah (Sita) and Slater (Ndlovu). That’s our frontline. We are only missing Fortune (Chipendo) there. Taffy Mhende is coming with us and will play on the wing. Cleopas (Makotose) will play centre and Wes (Mbanje) will be on the wing. It’s still a strong team.”
Also included in the Goshawks is Australia-based Garth Zieglar, the utility back who until recently was on a junior contract with Super 14 side Western Forces.
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Goshawks squad:
Jacques Leitao (captain), Wes Mbanje, Grant Mitchell, Cleopas Makotose, Tangai Nemadire, Gardner Nechironga, Manasah Sita, Slater Ndlovu, Gerald Sibanda, Tafadzwa Mhende, Garth Zieglar. —— Thesportsman.info
