BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
HARARE – Zimbabwe have kept faith in their new crop of shorter format players for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, South Africa, next month.
Kudzai Mashawi, now the permanent captain of the team, will lead the 12-man Zimbabwean side for the tournament, to be played at Cape Town Stadium between 9 and 11 September.
Over the past two years, the Zimbabwe selectors have been building trust in a new team consisting mainly of young locally-based players, with the aim of assembling a squad of specialist Sevens players in line with world rugby trends.
Ahead of the World Cup, the youthful Zimbabwe team, nicknamed the Cheetahs, recently struggled in an invitational tournament in Chile – the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series. But under pressure from the fans, the selectors have resisted the temptation of making sweeping changes to the squad for the World Cup.
In the World Cup-bound squad, only Sam Phiri and Carlos Matematema were not part of the Chile trip. Phiri and Matematema take the places of Taddy Dzandiwandira and Pride Nyameni, who were in the South American country with the Cheetahs but find themselves relegated to the non-traveling reserves list for the World Cup.
ZIM SEVENS RUGBY WORLD CUP SQUAD
Kudzai Mashawi (captain), Godfrey Magaramombe, Vuyani Dhlomo, Munopa Muneta, Munesu Muneta, Tapiwa Malenga, Kuda Chiwanza, Carlos Matematema, Ryan Musumhi, Shingi Katsvere, Sam Phiri, Nigel Tinarwo.
