Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe senior rugby sides are back in action and have a busy two weeks ahead of them as both the Sables and the Cheetahs are faced with international assignments regionally and internationally.
The Cheetahs are in South Africa where they are camping at the Pretoria High Performance Centre in preparation for the Africa Cup that is also serving as the 2016 Olympic Games qualifier set for Johannesburg on Saturday and Sunday.
At the same time, the Sables arrived in Hong Kong yesterday for the Hong Kong Cup of Nations that gets underway on Friday with Zimbabwe taking on the hosts while Portugal face off against Russia.
The competition ends next Saturday with Zimbabwe playing Portugal, having played Russia next Tuesday but for the first game, the Sables will have to do without some of the players as they will be in South Africa with the Cheetahs.
Some of the players that are expected to link-up with the Sables for the second XVs game in Hong Kong include Germany-based Manasah Sita, who is making a return to the set-up after an eight year absence, his team-mate Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, winger Stephan Hunduza and Riaan O’Neill.
Zimbabwe Rugby Union director of rugby Brighton Chivandire last night told The Herald that the players will first take part in the Olympic qualifier before making their way to East Asia for the Nations Cup.
The Cheetahs Olympic qualifier campaign will last for two days in Johannesburg starting on Saturday while the Sables tour of Hong Kong will last for eight days starting with a date against the hosts on Friday.
Initially, there were 10 players named in both the Sables and Cheetahs squads but fly-half Lenience Tambwera, Boyd Rouse, flanker Tapiwa Tsomondo and Njabulo Ndlovu have been ruled out of the flagship side due to various commitments while scrummy Hilton Mudariki is out due to a hamstring injury.
The Sables squad comprises of character, youth, experience, debutantes and quite a number of players who are making a return to the famous hooped green and white jersey after five years.
Wingers Tafadwa Mhende and Sita have a combined total of almost 13 years between themselves without donning the Sables jersey while Italy-based lock Jan Ferreira had not featured this year.
The youthful quartet of Gabriel Spapati, Ngoni Chibuwe, Alva Senderayi and Malvern Maparura were part of the 2013 Under-20 rugby side that finished third at the Junior Africa Cup in South Africa and are set to earn their Sables debuts in Hong Kong.
But results might be tough to come by for the Sables as their preparations have been a bumpy ride with player apathy hitting their training sessions and most of the players not turning up alleging that they are still owed allowances from the Namibia tour.
Also sad is that the Sables did not go into camp prior to their tour and all the foreign-based players will only link-up with the rest of the team in Hong Kong, giving them two days to train as a unit before facing Hong Kong.
Ranked 26th on the current World Rugby rankings, Zimbabwe will face good competition as they will play teams that are mostly ranked above them – the duo of Russia (22) and Hong Kong (24) both rated above the Sables while Portugal are 28.
Sables Fixtures: Hong Kong v Zimbabwe (November 13), Russia v Zimbabwe (November 17), Portugal v Zimbabwe (November 21)
Forwards: Denford Mutamangira (captain), Farai Mudariki, Tatenda Murwira, Brain Makamure, Gabriel Spapate, Royal Mwale, Nico Nyemba, Kapuya, Martin Wolfenden, Jan Ferreira, Biselele Tshamala, Andrew Rose, Alva Senderayi.
Backs: Charles Jiji, Kazembe, Tichafara Makwanya (vice, Stephan Hunduza, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Manasah Sita, Riaan O’Neill, Lungile Tshuma, Tafadzwa Mhende, Malvern Maparura, Ngoni Chibuwe, Gerald Sibanda, Gardner Nechironga
Cheetahs Squad: Jacques Leitao, Boyd Rouse, Njabulo Ndlovu, Biselele Tshamala, Shayne Makombe, Tapiwa Tsomondo, Stephan Hunduza, Graham Kaulback, Lenience Tambwera, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Kilvan Magunje, Riaan O’Neill, Mkululi Ndlela, Takudzwa Francesco, Manasah Sita, Kudakwashe Chiwanza.