KYROS Sports’ Nyasha Muchochomi believes that the Zimbabwe national Sevens team selected to play in Africa Men’s Sevens Tournament is the best-ever assembled Cheetahs squad in over a decade.
Zimbabwe Cheetahs will battle it out this weekend (16-17 September) with the other eleven teams for the right to represent Africa at the Paris Olympics next year.
Kyros Sports is a leading sports marketing, talent identification and management company. They have been keeping track of Zimbabwe rugby players plying their trade around the world.
“I think this is our best team in the last 10 years, and to manage to bring in some of the foreign players they did is huge,” Muchochomi told EnterSportNews.
With only the winners getting the automatic qualification to Paris, the Cheetahs have their work cut out as they face formidable opposition in South Africa Blitzboks, Kenya and Uganda.
Muchochomi believes the Cheetahs have what it takes to go to the final.
“I think this team can make the final as long as they don’t meet South Africa in the semi-final,” he added.
“The team we have is strong enough to beat Kenya and Uganda.”
He, however, lamented the absence of Shingi Katsvere and exciting Junior Sables winger Edward Sigauke.
“We really needed Katsvere and Sigauke to have a shot against South Africa,” he said.
“Nonetheless, with this team, we certainly should be able to finish in the top three, meaning we go to Repechage.”
Cheetahs will be banking on X-factor from Under-20 player Shadreck Mandaza, who can make something out of nothing. Sables pair Brandon Mudzekenyedzi and Tapiwa Mafura also have experience and the X-factor to see the team through.
Kyros Sports have, in the past, brought South Africa rugby franchises, Blue Bulls, Free State Cheetahs, Golden Lions and Stormers to Zimbabwe.
Under the watchful eye of coach Ricky Chirengende, the Cheetahs went to the Pretoria High-Performance Centre and played a couple of friendly matches with South African sides.
Muchochomi has been impressed with the new Cheetahs playing patterns under Chirengende.
“Under Ricky, there has been a lot of focus on the team’s defensive ability, which has become key selection criteria,” he said.
“In attack, it’s no longer random and every player trying to attack but picking the right time to strike, players having roles in attack, and parts of the field to attack from.”
Kyros Sports are a Zimbabwe rugby encyclopedia who have helped the Junior Sables technical team with names of players dotted around the world.
Muchochomi had advice for the Zimbabwe Sevens rugby committee if they were to become a Sevens powerhouse again.
“I feel it is the best prepared Cheetahs team in a very long time. We need to immediately select a second team of players below 22 years so that players know they are in the coaches’ plans,” said the Kyros executive.
Zimbabwe Cheetahs will battle it with defending champions Uganda in Pool C. Burkina Faso and Algeria will complete the pool.
