HARARE Sports Club wing Tafadzwa Mhende will make a return to the Zimbabwe Sevens rugby team for the first time since suffering a career-threatening leg injury in Zambia six years ago following his inclusion in the Cheetahs squad for the Africa Cup Sevens to be held in Kenya on Friday and Saturday.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
Mhende was forced out of the game for close to three years after suffering a horrific leg break while in action for the Cheetahs in the final of the Castle Sevens in Zambia in August 2010.
While many doubted if the live-wire backliner would ever play competitive rugby again, Mhende deified the odds when he made a return to the local rugby league at the start of the 2013 domestic season.
Last year the 31-year-old made his international return for the national 15s side, the Sables, during the end-of-year Hong Kong Cup of Nations, where Zimbabwe took on the hosts, Russia and Portugal in three Test matches.
Cheetahs coach Daniel Hondo, who played alongside Mhende when he first broke into the side, said the former Visitation Makumbi High student had merited selection after a string of consistent performances for his club.
“Tafadzwa Mhende has been one of the most consistent players in the league over the last two seasons and his selection is purely on merit. His presence in the side will definitely bring some experience to the side which has a number of young players and as someone who I played with before his injury and my retirement, I must say I’m pleased to see him back playing for the Cheetahs again as he has worked really hard,” Hondo said.
Mhende will be one of the new faces in the Cheetahs side which will be missing several experienced players, which gives Hondo leeway to give some of his fringe players an opportunity to gain some valuable experience.
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The quartet of centre Boyd Rouse, flyhalf Lenience Tambwera, scrumhalf Graham Kaulback and flank Jacques Leitao will be in action for Old Georgians when they face South African side False Bay RFC in the second round of the Gold Cup competition in the capital on Saturday.
The South Africa-based duo of Njabulo Ndlovu and Tapiwa Tsomondo will also miss the Kenya trip due to other commitments, but skipper Hilton Mudariki makes a return after missing last year’s tournament due to injury.
The Cheetahs, who were last in action three months ago at the Rio Olympic Games global qualifying tournament held in Monaco, leave for Nairobi, Kenya, today in search of their third Africa Cup Sevens title and their first since 2012.
Cheetahs squad: Biselele Tshamala, Shayne Makombe, Tendai Dzongodza, Takudzwa Francisco, Takudzwa Kumadiro, Stephan Hunduza, Tadius Dzandiwandira, Hilton Mudariki (captain), Rian O’Neill, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Kilvan Magunje, Tafadzwa Mhende
