The Zimbabwe national rugby 7s side’s bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals in San Franscisco received a major boost with Delta Beverages coming in with a shot in the arm following an injection of $100 000 through their Zambezi Lager brand.
By Kevin Mapasure
Delta Beverages announced the sponsorship at a function held in Harare yesterday, much to the excitement of the rugby family reeling from the abject performance by the 15s side.
“It’s a special afternoon as we cement our partnership with the Cheetahs. We believe that this partnership represents what we cherish the most, the belief that we are the makers of our own success,” Delta sales executive Stanley Muchenje said.
“That is the idea that drives Delta to sponsor sport. We believe that the Cheetahs are a special team with special qualities that we would like to be associated with.”
Some of the money will be used for the hosting of the Victoria Falls Sevens next year, which will form part of the Cheetahs’ preparations.
For the Sables to qualify for the World Cup, they need to finish as one of the finalists in the Africa Cup tournament.
Their schedule sees them playing at the Windhoek Draught 7s in Lusaka between September 2 and 3 this year.
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The same month, they will play at the Maseru Sevens between September 23 and 24.
In October, they will play at the Assupol Sevens tournament at the Stellenbosch Academy in South Africa from the 23rd to the 29th.
The following month, they have the Safaricoms 7s in Kenya as well as the Royal Bafokeng tournament, while they have a scheduled trip to Dubai for the Dubai World 7s series between November 30 and December 2.
The World Cup qualifiers will be played in Kampala between October 6 and 8.
The Cheetahs technical team yesterday announced a 40-man squad from which the players to do duty in the qualifiers will be drawn.
The squad contains 13 foreign-based players, while the rest are drawn from local clubs.
Some of the players in the squad include captain Hilton Mudariki, who is based in South Africa, as well as Connor Pritchard plying his trade in Australia.
Squad
T Tsomondo, R O’Neil, N Ndlovu, B Tshamala, N Chibuwe, B Dube, M Ndhlela, H Mudariki, G Nechironga, B Rouse, C Pritchard, S Makombe, T Chitokwindo, M Kidson, L Sithole, O Muhambi, T Kumadiro, T Fransisco, Z Nkomo, S Hunduza, S Johns , L Tambwera, T Chieza, S Katsvere, I Nyatsanza, M Kazingizi, P Dube, G Muyambo, D Museredza, T Gwisai, J Gando, T Makwanya, S Hlanguyo, N Madida, T Mugariri, W Gode, T Chiremba, K Magunje, W Seremani, R Dodo
