ZIMBABWE’s preparations for next month’s tri-nations tournament in Namibia are expected to go a gear up this week after the team’s technical department reduced the provisional squad from 41 to 29 players before camp starts in Bulawayo on Friday.
REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
Former Sables captain Costa Dinha, who recently helped Old Hararians reclaim the Lion Lager National Rugby League, was excluded from the squad after being included in the provisional squad.
Uncapped South Africa-based Lock Graham Logan, a former Zimbabwe youth International who now plays for the University of Pretoria, was preferred ahead of Dinha.
Cape Town-based prop Kevin Nquidi from Belhar Rugby Club, also received a maiden call up to take the number of foreign-based players in the squad to 10.
Sables’ team manager Losson Mtongwiza said the technical department was hoping to use the upcoming camp and the Namibia tour to test new players ahead of next year’s Africa Cup.
“Nquidi is a prop, while Logan is a lock and the coaches will be assessing them and all the other new caps in camp ahead of the Namibia tournament and the Africa Cup.
“They will train under the watchful eye of the new technical adviser Liam Middleton, head coach Brendan Dawson and Assistant coach Cyprian Mandenge,” Mtongwiza said.
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Losson said the travelling squad of 24 players and five non-travelling reserves would be announced on Monday.
Uncapped scrumhalf Hilton Mudariki of the Amersham & Chiltern club in the United Kingdom, was the first foreign-based player to arrive in the country, while the rest of the foreign-based players are expected on Thursday.
Zimbabwe intends to use the tri-nations tournament involving Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya to prepare for the final qualification tournament for a place at the 2015 World Cup in England.
The tri-nations tournament runs from November 8 with the Sables taking on Namibia before engaging Kenya four days later.
Sables Squad
Props: Nick Winwood (Blackheath, England), Pieter Joubert (OGs), Kevin Nqindi (Belhar Rugby Club, SA), Fidel Nyabusha (HSC), Jakov Jakov (OGs) Locks: Keith Murray (OGs), Royal Mwale (Ballito Dolphins, SA) Jan Ferreira (Mat Warriors), Michael Passaportis (Valence, France), Martin Wolfenden (Cambridge RFC, UK), Graham Logan (University of Pretoria, SA) Flanks: Kingsley Lang (Jersey, England), Fortune Chipendo (OGs) Jacques Leitao (OGs, Vice-Captain), Andrew Rose (Boroughmuir, Scotland) Scrumhalves: Phil Machisa (HSC), Hilton Mudariki (Amersham & Chiltern, England) Flyhalves: Boyd Rouse (OGs), Lenience Tambwera (HSC), Tichafara Makwanya (OH) Centres: Daniel Hondo (HSC, Captain), Simbarashe Chirimuuta (HSC), Sean Moan (Blackheath, England) Wings: Kudakwashe Chiwanza (OGs), Stephan Hunduza (HSC), Gardner Nechironga (OH), Shayne Makombe (HSC) Fullbacks: Lungile Tshuma (OH), Tangai Nemadire (OH)
