SABLES coach, Cyprian Mandenge, has backed his charges to beat hosts Hong Kong in the Cup of Nations opener today, despite missing several key players to the Sevens national side, which is in South Africa for the Olympic Qualifiers, which start tomorrow in Johannesburg.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
Mandenge yesterday named three uncapped players for the opening match against Hong Kong, but lamented the fact that he would have only one backline player, Kuziva Kazembe on the bench.
The experienced trio of Manasah Sita, Stephan Hunduza and Rian O’Neill will only be available for the last two matches against Russia and Portugal after playing for the Cheetahs, in the Rio Olympic qualifiers in South Africa on Saturday and Sunday.
In their absence, the Sables technical department has been forced to take a gamble by selecting an untested centre pairing comprising of the uncapped duo of Ngoni Chibuwe and Malvern Maparura.
The other uncapped player in the Sables starting XV is South Africa-based flank, Alva Senderayi, who recently made the Western Province Under-21 squad.
“My only major worry is that I have only one backline player on the bench because the other guys are still in South Africa for the Olympic Sevens qualifiers,” Mandenge told NewsDay Sport yesterday.
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“However, the boys looked sharp in training, they’ve got the rugby brains and I’m confident they now understand the game patterns despite having started working together yesterday,” he said.
The Sables are likely to bank on their pack of forwards, which has lot of ball carriers such as skipper Denford Mutamangira, lock Martin Wolfenden as well as eighthman Andrew Rose.
Mandenge’s charges will also pose a threat at the lineouts as they have a solid hooker in Royal Mwale and good jumpers in the mould of Jan Ferreira and Biselele Tshamala.
In the outfield, the Sables will look to the experience of vice-captain, Tichafara Makwanya, whose tactical kicking will be needed in pinning down the opposition back three.
Zimbabwe and Hong Kong have only met once before, with the East Asian side winning the match 22-7 in Dubai three years ago.
Sables Starting XV (1-15): D Mutamangira, R Mwale, F Mudariki, J Ferreira, M Wolfenden, A Senderayi, B Tshamala, A Rose, C Jiji, T Makwanya, T Mhende, N Chibuwe, M Maparura, G Sibanda, L Tshuma
Replacements: N Nyemba, B Makamure, T Murwira, D Kapuya, S Sibanda, G Sipapati, K Kazembe .
