THE resurgent Zimbabwe senior rugby side should brace themselves for a tough match against the star-studded New Zealand All Blacks if they qualify for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England following the draw conducted by the International Rugby Board on Monday. REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO SPORTS REPORTER
If the Sables automatically qualify for the World Cup finals, they will be in the same group with defending champions New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga, and another team that will qualify from the European qualifiers.
The reigning Africa champions, however, will first have to negotiate their way through the African regional qualifiers, whose first stage they passed by winning the Car Africa Cup tournament in Tunisia in July.
The win ensured that the Sables retained their position in the elite Car Group 1A.
The winner of the Group 1A in 2014 will qualify automatically for the 2015 Rugby World Cup with the runner-up entering the Repechage.
This means the Brendan Dawson-coached side will need to retain their place in that group next year and hope that they win it in 2014 to ensure passage to the World Rugby showpiece.
Zimbabwe last qualified for the Rugby World Cup in 1991. Then, the team had in their ranks current coach Dawson and the late Richard Tsimba, who was recently inducted into the prestigious IRB Hall of Fame.
The team’s preparations for the Rugby World Cup qualifiers begin on Saturday when they take on Hong Kong in their first match at the Emirates Airline Cup of Nations tournament in Dubai.
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Soon after the match, the team will be expected to regroup to play their second match against European side Belgium on Tuesday before winding down their tour against hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) next Friday.
The tour is expected to give the technical team a chance to assess some new players in the side as most of the senior players are away on national duty with the Zimbabwe Sevens side.
The Sables, ranked 30th on the latest IRB World rankings, will go into the four-team tournament as the third highest ranked team in the tourney behind Belgium (23), Hong Kong (28).
Hosts UAE only recently became a full member of the IRB and are yet to receive an official world ranking.
Sables’ travelling delegation Forwards: Tapiwa Mangezi, Pieter Joubert, Nic Winwood, Keith Murray, Simba Musarurwa, Brian Makamure, Costa Dinha, Jan Ferreira, Sanele Sibanda, Biselele Tshamala, Shingirai Mpofu, Tonderai Chigumbura, Takunda Chifokoyo
Backs: Scotty Jones, Graham Kaulback, Lenience Tambwera, Tichafara Makwanya, Tommy Nelson, Gavin Nyawata, Simbarashe Chirimuuta, Josh Rowe, Kudakwashe Chiwanza, Shane Makombe, Steven Hunduza, John McWade
Officials: Head coach – Brendon Dawson Assistant coach — Cyprian Mandenge Team manager — Losson Mtongwiza Head of delegation — Bongai Zamchiya Physiotherapist — Abigail Mnikwa
