Inaugural Mabanga 7s kick off
KANSANSHI Rugby Club general secretary Chansa Mulenga says all is set for the inaugural 2022 Mabanga sevens tournament that kicks off in Solwezi today.
The first ever rugby tournament in the history of Zambian rugby to be graced by Solwezi Mayor Remmy Kalepa, has attracted all rugby teams in the country.
In an interview yesterday, Mulenga said all Kansanshi teams A and B were ready for competition.
“It being the first tournament in the region makes it very important as it will also motivate quite a number of youths to join the sport. In future we want to start having inter-districts for under-19 whilst our senior team plays the National Rugby League next season for the first time. In future the competition will grow because then our experience must have grown. All our teams are very ready for this tournament,” he said.
The Dragons of Kansanshi under the tutelage of coach Richard “Vulture” Kanyika, against all odds managed to sail through to the club’s first ever Main Cup final at the 2022 KPF Zanaco-American tournament in Kitwe and lost to
Red Arrows 24-6 in the finals to settle for the second position at a highly contested event.
Kansanshi cruised to the finals having managed to beat the host “Spoilers” Kitwe Playing Fields (KPF) 6-0 in the semi-finals.
The Kanyika coached side Kansanshi A has been drawn in Group A alongside Ndola, Nchanga and Nkwazi.
The B team is paired against KPF, “Powerhouse” Lusaka and Green Buffaloes.
In Pool-B, front-runners Arrows A will face Green Eagles of Kabwe, Konkola and Chibuluma.
Arrows will be seeking to win the fifth trophy of the 2022 campaign, having bagged the 2022 Nchanga and Diggers sevens, KPF-ZANACO American 10s tournament and League title.
Group-C is a group of death and it will see cagey affairs of matches as a group consisting Mopani Copper Mines sponsored derby between Mufurila Leopards and “Men-At-Work” Diggers, Arrows B and “Metal Boys” Roan.
Despite the tournament attracting some of the elite teams in the league, Mulenga said the Mabanga teams were ready to contest for the main cup with the big boys.