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NewsDay

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Young Sables start World Cup campaign against Japan

Sport
UK-based former Young Sables skipper Graeme Lawler has tipped the Young Sables to do well at the Junior World Rugby Trophy where they open their campaign against Japan Tuesday. The Zimbabwe Under-20 rugby team will open their campaign with a tough encounter against Japan at the Shevardeni Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia. The match kicks off […]

UK-based former Young Sables skipper Graeme Lawler has tipped the Young Sables to do well at the Junior World Rugby Trophy where they open their campaign against Japan Tuesday.

The Zimbabwe Under-20 rugby team will open their campaign with a tough encounter against Japan at the Shevardeni Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The match kicks off at 1400 hours (Georgian time), 12:00pm local time.

Lawler (21) who played alongside some of the players in the current team at the last edition of the tournament in Russia said with the right attitude and approach the current team had the potential to do well in Georgia.

“It’s quite a strong side with a number of good players who are capable of doing well in this tournament. Hopefully the presence of some of the players in there who I played with in Russia will stand them in good stead against Japan.

“With the right attitude and approach in each game I’m sure they will do well,’ said Lawler in an interview with NewsDay Sport from his base in the UK.

Zimbabwe will have to be at their best as they come up against a Japanese team which would be hoping to go a step further this year after losing in the final to Italy in the previous tournament in Russia.

Like in any other tournament, the first game is always very important and after today’s match the Young Sables, who are aiming for a top four finish, will have a clear indication of how far they have progressed and where they stand.

This will not be the first time that the Young Sables have played against Japan as the two teams were involved in a thrilling 20-20 draw in a pool match in Russia.

However, an earlier 22-6 loss to Canada in their first match and another 21-19 defeat to hosts Russia in the final pool match ensured that the Young Sables were left fighting for seventh position in the tournament.

Zimbabwe would eventually seal seventh position in the eight team tournament with a 22-56 win over Papua New Guinea in the seventh place playoff.

The Young Sables are in Pool B alongside hosts Georgia and Canada while Pool A consists of last year’s hosts Russia, Samoa, and the United States.

Only the top-placed teams after the pool matches qualify for the final with the other teams fighting for the third to seventh play-off spots.

Italy won the 2010 edition of the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy in Russia and were promoted to the IRB Junior World Championship which they will host later this year.