Paul Munyuki Harare Bureau
LESS than 24 hours after winning the Olympic Repechage men’s Challenge Trophy, Zimbabwe men’s Sevens rugby side, the Cheetahs, have been named as one of the sides for the first edition of the Assupol South Africa Sevens rugby tournament set for July 2 and 3. Reports from South Africa indicate that the tournament at the Markotter Stadium in Stellenbosch is divided into two tiers with six teams in the international section and then 16 local club teams competing for a trophy of their own.
Kenya, Zimbabwe, a Namibian invitational team, a Western Province invitational team and the SA Academy Sevens team have all been invited to compete with Neil Powell’s men as they gear up for Rio.
Kenya will also be heading to the Olympic Games after a successful HSBC World Sevens Series campaign which saw them finish seventh and pick up a historic first Cup title in Singapore.
Powell was pleased to have the tournament in Stellenbosch.
The Cheetahs might not have qualified for the Olympics after they suffered an early knock-out with two defeats in the group stages of the Sevens rugby qualifier play-offs over the weekend but they salvaged a face-saver by winning the second tier Olympic Repechage men’s Challenge Trophy.
Defeats at the hands of Ireland and Samoa in their Group A games on Saturday in Monaco condemned Zimbabwe out of the Main Cup competition and were relegated to play in the less prestigious Challenge Trophy.
Germany-based Manasah Sita was the star of the show with a four try haul that saw the Cheetahs get a 31-5 win over Tonga with Riaan O’Neill adding the other try while fly-half Lenience Tambwera successfully converted four of the touchdowns.