Sables look for redemption
ZIMBABWE Rugby Union chief executive Blessing Chiutare believes the under-fire Sables will find their rhythm again and turn on the power against Uganda to secure a top three finish in the Africa Gold Cup.
The Sables will travel to Uganda tomorrow for a make-or-break clash against the East Africans in Kampala on Saturday where Zimbabwe must win in order to keep alive hopes of playing in the 2019 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.
A defeat by the East Africans will leave the Sables final standings having to be decided by permutations.
After losing their way in the campaign with back-to-back defeats by Namibia, Kenya and Tunisia, pressure has mounted on the Sables and their coach Cyprian Mandenge ahead of the trip to Kampala.
The Sables now need a bonuspoint win of 30 points or more to stand any chance of overhauling Uganda and claiming third place in the Gold Cup, while the fight to avoid finishing bottom will take place in Monastir as Tunisia host Senegal with the West Africans favourites for the drop into the second tier Silver group.
A third-place finish will also secure the Sables the privilege of playing three of their World Cup qualifiers at home, but if their performance against Tunisia is anything to go by, it is still a long way to go for Mandenge’s men.
Chiutare is confident that the Sables could overcome Uganda if they play to their strength.
“It’s a big game . . . Uganda have been playing very well and obviously we have taken three knocks on the trot and it’s not very pleasing.
“It is not that we do not have the players, the quality is there and I think we just have to solidify our defence and we have to take the right approach to the game.
“For some of the players four games on the trot is not normal, for some there is nothing unusual, but for this game we have to give it our all,” Chiutare said.
Chiutare also noted that one of the Sables’ weakest points has been that of fizzling out.
On Saturday, Mandenge’s troops will not only need the staying power to last the game, but also avoid the glaring mistakes that left them looking like rank amateurs against Tunisia.
“We have lost most of our games in the last 15 minutes due to loss of concentration that comes with the fatigue that would have crept in.
“But for this game we have not put the pressure of the mathematical side of it on the players to try and win by certain margins because what we want foremost is a victory.
“If we win there will be no need to involve the mathematics aspect of our survival chances. It is only if we lose that we will start looking at the maths to say the defeat would have to be by seven points or less for us to get a bonus point and we have to avoid all that at all costs,’’ Chiutare said.
The ZRU chief also reckoned that the Sables could do themselves a huge favour by avoiding the kind of defensive errors that seemed to hand the initiative to Tunisia at Prince Edward last Saturday.
For a defence that had shown some grit in matches against
Namibia and Kenya, the Sables were too porous against Tunisia.
“Ugandans are the same size and are as quick as us and I think they will try to play wide instead of coming at our forwards so in my view this is a game where the team that will make less mistakes will win and it will come down to the way we defend.
“We also hope to have all the players fit again this time around and we will not take chances and travel with half-fit players and hoping that they recover when we are there,’’ Chiutare said.
The Sables were yesterday
boosted by news that flyhalf Lenience Tambwera has recovered from an injury that sidelined him against Tunisia.
Tambwera’s precision with the boot could also come in handy in match where the Sables have to use every opportunity they get to pile points on the board.
Experienced forward Fortune Chipendo and Jacques Leitao have also shaken off the flu bugs that seemed to be bothering them last weekend.
The ZRU have also reportedly secured financial incentives to motivate the senior side from
their corporate partners, but it is the flagship rugby team’s character to rise from their slumber that will be on show at the Legends Rugby Club in Kampala.
While the Sables and the Cranes will have to grapple for third place, Namibia captured their third straight Rugby Africa Gold Cup title in emphatic style with a 45-7 win over rivals Kenya in a group decider in Windhoek.
It was the Welwitschias’ fifth consecutive bonus-point win of the campaign and easily their best performance considering the opposition.