Govt honours Cheetahs
ZIMBABWE’S rugby heroes — the Zambezi Cheetahs — continued to bask in the glory of their qualification for the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens, with the Government last night hosting a reception for them and underlining a commitment to ensure their preparations for the global showcase receive adequate support.
Rarely have the Cheetahs been given due recognition even when they do well in different regional tournaments.
But it is the manner in which they fought hard to secure a place at the World Cup in the United States next year that has forced attention to shift to their exploits at the Africa Cup in Uganda.
Last night, Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane hosted the triumphant Zambezi Cheetahs at a dinner in the capital.
Hlongwane said rugby had been on Government’s radar from the time they had stepped in to help restore sanity at the ZRU, which culminated in the appointment of an interim executive led by former Sables winger Russell Karimazondo.
Crucially for Cheetahs coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba and his charges, the Government insisted they would play their role to support their quest to make an impact at the World Cup and in the World Series earlier in Hong Kong.
“As Government we take notice of the achievements of this team. These days rugby is on the dashboard of Government and we support you all the way. We are appreciating that good work.
“We like it that our national flag was hoisted in Kampala and that our national anthem was sung there. As Government, we want to thank you for the job well done.
“We are going to support you all the way. We always advise national associations to work with corporates so that resource mobilisation is easy but wherever possible Government must always step in and support Team Zimbabwe,’’ Hlongwane said.
The minister also challenged the Cheetahs to ensure that they make an impact at the World Cup.
“We should not go to the USA to just shore up the numbers, but to compete and Russell (ZRU), Siwela (SRC) and permanent secretary must draw a roadmap for preparations.
“I will brief my colleagues in Cabinet tomorrow (today) about the tournament in Uganda and how the results came about,’’ Hlongwane said.
Sports Commission board chairman Edward Siwela said it was imperative that associations invest in development structures that would reap rewards such as the glorious achievement by the Zambezi Cheetahs.
“I would like to implore the interim ZRU president to put in place sound plans and policies that will ensure sustained success in rugby.
“As SRC, we will be there to offer you every support we can, which is befitting a team of your stature that is going to represent Zimbabwe on the world stage,’’ Siwela said.
Karimazondo also told the guests at the reception that Zimbabwe’s place at the World Cup had not come by accident, but through sheer determination and hard work invested in several months since the start of the year.
“The Cheetahs qualification for the World Cup is no small feat. It is the enthusiasm and the talents of the players that have led us to this moment and to the coach, his staff and the technical crew, thank you for your hard work which has paid off.
“There is no time to relax and in fact the harder work has just begun and we will continue to support you.
“Thank you to the minister for your support and maybe for the first time in history, the ZRU will be given a grant following this achievement,’’ Karimazondo said.
Industrious Zambezi Cheetahs team manager Donald Mangenje also told the minister and the guests of the huge sacrifices the players made just to represent their country against a background of limited resources and a tough operating environment prevailing in the country.
“After Day One in Uganda, we set in the penthouse at the hotel that we were staying in and we said as brothers let’s make a commitment to bring smiles on everyone in Zimbabwe amid all that we are going through in our country with all the economic hardships and I am happy that the boys fully exerted themselves and most of the players have returned from Kampala limping,’’ Mangenje said.