FOLLOWING tough matches against Belgium and Hong Kong, Zimbabwe will be aiming for a consolation win when they take on minnows United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their last match of the Emirates Airline Cup of Nations XVs Rugby Tournament today.
REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO IN DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The match takes place at the 7he Sevens and kickoff is 4pm local time (2pm Zimbabwean time).
While all the focus on the tournament will be on the decider between Hong Kong and Belgium, the Sables will be taking the dead rubber match very seriously.
With the match having a serious impact on the IRB World Rankings, the Sables will know that they cannot afford a slip-up against their lowly ranked opponents and will be eager to restore some pride. The Sables’ technical department yesterday made six changes to the starting XV from the previous match.
Loose head prop Pieter Joubert and tight head Tapiwa Mangezi will be the only changes in the forwards and will get their first starts in the front row alongside hooker Keith Murray, who retains his place in the side.
Twin locks Jan Ferreira and Sanele Sibanda retain will continue in the second row, where there is still no place for captain Costa Dinha.
Open-side flank Shingi Mpofu captains the side for the second consecutive match, while Biselele Tshamala and Takunda Chifokoyo complete the loose trio.
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After sitting out the second match flyhalf Lenience Tambwera returns at number 10 and will marshal a young backline that also includes debutant centre Simba Chirimuuta and Shayne Makombe.
Wings Kuda Chiwanza and Steven Hunduza, together with fullback John MacWade will retain their places in the starting line-up.
Sables team manager Losson Mtongwiza told NewsDay Sport that today’s match would be a chance for fringe players in the side to make an impression.
“We have had two difficult games and we feel we have achieved some of the objectives we had set ourselves before the tour. We feel that this is now an opportunity for some of the locally based players, who had played second fiddle in the first two games to stand up and be counted and prove to the selectors that they are good enough,” he said.
UAE coach Duncan Hall said he was worried about the Sables’ unpredictability.
“Zimbabwe are quite unpredictable,” said Hall. “I don’t think we are predictable ourselves, but some of the sides like to play a structured game.
“Hong Kong play a very structured game, while Belgium base their play on a lot of forward drives and having decoy runners and that sort of thing.
“But Zimbabwe are more free-spirited in their play which can be extremely dangerous. The other sides — you have an idea where they are going to attack, while the Zimbabwe guys are more cultural.”
The UAE are yet to get over the try line in their two games so far, as Zimbabwe will be determined to make sure they end the tournament without crossing over the whitewash.
