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Sables rebels back

Sport
IN-FORM Old Hararians flyhalf and veteran lock Costa Dinha could make a return to the Sables side after being included in an expanded training squad of 50 players for next month’s invitational tri-nation tournament in Namibia, which will also involve Kenya.

IN-FORM Old Hararians flyhalf and veteran lock Costa Dinha could make a return to the Sables side after being included in an expanded training squad of 50 players for next month’s invitational tri-nation tournament in Namibia, which will also involve Kenya.

BY DANIEL NHAKANISO

Dinha who was instrumental in helping Old Hararians win the Lion Lager National Rugby League title were part of the group of 13 players that was excluded from the Sables squad for the Africa Cup tournament held in Madagascar in July after signing a petition, passing a vote of no confidence in team manager Losson Mtongwiza.

The other players who missed the Madagascar trip who are also in the current training squad include Kuda Chiwanza, Tangai Nemadire, Gardner Nechironga and Lungile Tshuma.

Zimbabwe Rugby Union executive vice president Colleen De Jong told NewsDay Sport that the union was hopeful the impasse would be resolved and the team would remain focused on securing qualification for the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 21 years.

“I believe the players indicated that they would be making themselves available for training if they were selected in the expanded squad. I believe it shows they are willing to move on and have resolved to do what they know best, which is to play rugby and ensure that we qualify for the World Cup,” said De Jong.

De Jong said one of the recommendations made by the board of inquiry was to investigate the impasse and the formation of a fully functional players’ representative body.

of the recommendations was that there has to be a players’ representative body which ensures that players both current and former are properly represented and issues to do with player welfare amongst others.

“We understand that as a union it’s an area that we have been lacking and we will ensure that its gets all our support so that there are proper lines of communication between the players and the union in the future,” she said.

The 50-man expanded squad which is made up of a wide range of players based locally and abroad is expected to go into camp on October 31 before leaving for Namibia on November 6.

The tri-nations is coach Brendan Dawson and his assistant Cyprian Mandenge’s last competitive assignment before the final qualification tournament in Madagascar next June for a place at the 2015 World Cup in England.

Of the uncapped foreign-based contingent, the most notable inclusions included Golden Lions fly-half Guy Cronje, ex-Young Sables lock Michael Passaportis, who now plays for Valance in the fourth division of French rugby.

The other uncapped foreign based players in the side include the England-based pair of Jersey eighthman Kingsley Lang and Blackheath centre Sean Moen.

Sables Provisional Squad

Tatenda Murwira (OH), Kudzai Mudzekenyedzi (Mat Warriors), Fidel Nyabusha (HSC), Denford Mutamangira (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland), Nick Winwood (Blackheath, England), Alfred Sairai (OH), Pieter Joubert (OGs), Jakov Jakov (OGs), Keith Murray (OGs), Royal Mwale (Ballito Dolphins, SA), Sanele Sibanda (Harlequins, SA), Jan Ferreira (Mat Warriors), Simbarashe Bwanya (College Rovers, SA), Costa Dinha (OH), Michael Passaportis (Valence, France), Kingsley Lang (Jersey, England), Fortune Chipendo (OGs) Jacques Leitao (OGs), Tawanda Chowe (OH), Andrew Rose (Boroughmuir, Scotland), Biselele Tshamala (Varsity College, SA), Lucky Sithole (Mat Warriors), Njabulo Ndlovu (University of Western Cape, SA), Phil Machisa (HSC), Ian Armstrong (OGs), Hilton Mudariki (Amersham & Chiltern, England), Teddy Hwata (HSC), Guy Cronje (Lions, SA), Boyd Rouse (OGs), Lenience Tambwera (HSC), Tichafara Makwanya (OH), Garth Ziegler (OGs), Daniel Hondo (HSC), Tatas Mutataguta (OGs), Simbarashe Chirimuuta (HSC), Leroy Mashiri (OH), Sean Moen (Blackheath, England), Takudzwa Chieza (OH), Manasah Sita (RG Heidelberg, Germany), Patrick Tenesi (OH), Shayne Makombe (HSC), Tafadzwa Chitokwindo (Varsity College, SA), Gardner Nechironga (OH), Kudakwashe Chiwanza (OGs), Lungile Tshuma (OH), Tangai Nemadire (OH), Courtney Mwatsiya (Mat Warriors).