Zim heads for World Cup
THE Zimbabwe Cheetahs are heading to next year’s Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament after making the final of the Africa Cup in Uganda yesterday.
The global showcase is set for San Francisco, USA, in July next year.
Although the locals fell 7-10 to the hosts in the final, there were no tears in the Zimbabwean dressing room.
Instead, the Cheetahs were celebrating securing a third World Cup dance having dismissed Tunisia in the quarter-finals and Madagascar in the semi-finals.
The Cheetahs, who finished second in their group after winning three of their four first round matches, had to sweat their way to the final.
The day’s proceedings began with Zimbabwe facing a stubborn Tunisia.
Tries by Stephen Hunduza and Boyd Ronjr for Zimbabwe and Kalifa Chariseddiwe and Wenhami Issam for Tunisia saw the match end tied at 12 points apiece.
Chariseddiwe and Ronjr both missed a conversion each.
The game had to be decided in extra time, with the golden try rule applying in the five minutes allotted.
Stavo, as Hunduza is known within rugby circles, put down the deciding try and sent Zimbabwe to the all-important semi-finals.
In contrast, Uganda had an easier passage to the semis as they completely ran through Botswana 33-0.
The hosts then dismissed Zambia in the last four.
The tie against Madagascar was always going to be tricky for the Cheetahs.
The Malagasy dispatched Zimbabwe 19-12 in the group stage and they gave it a good go in what was effectively a World Cup play-off.
However, tries from Hunduza, Ngoni Chibuwe, and Biselele Tshamala powered Zimbabwe to a 21-10 victory, next year’s World Cup as well as the Hong Kong Sevens.
The Cheetahs made their World Cup debut in 1997 before making a return to the world showcase in 2001.
Next year’s tournament, slated for July 20-22, will see the quarter-finalists from the 2013 edition getting automatic qualification.