De Souza’s boys are back!
SHAUN DE SOUZA cut the figure that would resemble a proud dad fresh off seeing his child take his first step, as his Barthe’s rugby Trophy winning squad arrived at Prince Edward School for their first training session last week.
The Young Sables have regrouped for the Canada Rugby International Series, a World Rugby initiative aimed at assisting preparations of the teams that have made it to the Under-20 Junior Rugby Trophy.
Canada will host the tourney scheduled for August 9-23 and which will also include Chile and Uruguay.
De Souza lauded his quartat of Brendon Marume, Tawanda Matipano, Tavonga Ablant and Takudzwa Musingwini, who were called up to the Goshawks side at the Currie Cup First Division, which ended recently in Cape Town, South Africa.
“It was really exciting to have those guys get the opportunity to play for the Goshawks in the Currie Cup First Division, and as a coach you always want to see your players progress and move to a bigger stage.
“That exposure in that set-up, and playing for the national team, will add value to the guys when they return to us,” De Souza said.
He was following their games at the Currie Cup.
“We were always in communication, before and after training, and after every game.
“They kept in touch regularly, and I would talk to them as a unit and individually.
“I also spoke to the Sables’ system (technical crew), and they gave me regular feedback on how the boys were doing.
“Piet Benade was very good at that, and I think they looked after the boys very well,” he said.
De Souza now hope’s that the experience some of his players had with the senior side, will have a rub-on effect and inspire his charges to aim for a Sables call-up.
The Young Sables gaffer recently announced an enlarged 61-man squad, in which he retained the core team that won the Barthe’s Trophy in Kenya.
He also added those that missed the assignment due to school and club commitments.
Among the additions is the foreign-based group, which includes Tariro Tapfuma, Giles Munyamana, Jerome Sagomba, Stephen Terera, Benjamin Pattenden, Solomon Zawe (all UK-based).
Also, Craig Snyder, Andrew Rinomhota, Rua Karimazondo, Matthew Hickey, Carl Kawodza, Brooklyn Chikaka, Crispen Mashingaidze and Brendan Mason who are based in the United States have also been called up.
“With some of the guys going to France, we hope to have them joining the rest of the squad in time for the Canada trip.
“The other boys are carrying a few injury niggles, and we decided to give them a few extra weeks to rest before joining us.
“The 61-man squad is made up of the 30-man squad that travelled to Kenya for the Barthe’s Trophy, and seven guys that got injured during our high-performance camp.
“All those guys have been included in the squad, as well as a few that played in the Zambia series and the foreign-based players.
“They were all eligible for selection for the Barthe’s Trophy but had to pull out due to exams from their respective schools in the UK and USA.
“We have since included them all, and look forward to a couple of weeks of high-intensity training and rugby,” De Souza said.
Zimbabwe Under-20 Squad:
Tomuvonga Msasanure, Happias Zhou, Nqobile Manyara, Tadiwa Chinwada, Farai Madzima, Veshal Jasi, Martin Hakunavanhu, Marlon Guwuriro, Bryan Chiang, Takunda Mudzingwa, Tawanda Banda, Takudzwa Zvomuya, Simbarashe Siraha, Tamuka Kambani, Solomon Zawe, Tadiwanashe Marumisa, Craig Snyder, Andrew Rinomhota, Tendai Chimyama, Tanaka Ndoro, Muzuva Gutu, Anthony Kalubi, Andy Maringo, Rua Karimazondo, David Mangwende, Gary Kagande, Phillip Ehlers, Gealan Jaricha, Tanaka GondoMukandapi, Denzel Maramba, Daniel Johnson, Panashe Zuze, Tanaka Ndabambi, Shadrick Mandaza, Welton Charumbira, Matthew Hickey, Benjamin Pattenden, Takudzwa Musingwini, Stephen Terera, Rukudzo Ndoro, Carl Kawodza, Alex Nyamunda, Dion Khumalo, Tanaka Chinyanga, Brooklyn Chikaka, Crispen Mashingaidze, Jerome Sagomba, Giles Munyamana, Liberty Sibanda, Tariro Tapfuma, Brendan Mason, Tawanda Matipano, Tavonga Ablant, Munotida Marimirofa, Josiah Borerwe, Emmanuel Farawu, Lesley Mubeto, David Yosa, Hunter Chiutsi, Simbarashe Kanyangarara, Brendan Marume