The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
HARARE school, Saint John’s College contributed the highest number of players in the Old Mutual Zimbabwe Junior Sables for the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week at Grey College in Bloemfontein, South Africa in July.
The squad was announced yesterday by team manager Tanetswa Dinhidza at Falcon College at the end of two days of trials.
Seven lads from St John’s were announced in the squad of 22 while two are among the six non-travelling reserves. Falcon College and Heritage had three players each in the squad of 22 and one player apiece among the non-travelling reserves.
Prince Edward had two of their players picked in the squad of 22 while St George’s College, Kyle, Petra, Hillcrest, Lomagundi, Midlands Christian College, Hellenic and Hillcrest had one player each. Gateway have one youngster in the non travelling reserves.
National Under-14 coach, Gordon Pangeti, who was the convener of the selection panel expressed his satisfaction with the players they have chosen. On what exactly they were looking for in the youngsters, Pangeti said they selected boys with the right attitude and grit seeing that they play back to back opening fixtures at the Craven Week.
“We have really done our best to try pick the best group of boys to represent us at the Craven Week which will be held at Grey College in Bloemfontein. We now have four training sessions to prepare and a camp before we go out for Craven Week,’’ said Pangeti.
As part of their warm up, the Junior Sables, who have training sessions at Heritage every Sunday until their departure for South Africa on 7 July will play against a Blue Bulls development side in Pretoria prior to finding their way to Bloemfontein for the Craven Week which runs from 10 to 14 July. The match in Pretoria has been arranged by South Africa based Zimbabwe rugby legend, Kennedy Tsimba. Pangeti believes that the fixture will assist in preparing his players for challenge posed Border Country Districts, who they play on the opening day of the Craven Week.
He also expressed his gratitude to the team’s sponsors, Old Mutual who have made it easy to select less privileged players, something which was not possible before Zimbabwe Rugby Union secured the sponsorship in 2014 as those with parents with the financial means got to represent the country.
One of the leading rugby playing schools in the country, Peterhouse did not send their children for Under-14 trials with the reason given being that they are scared of getting their players poached by South Africans if they make it to the national team.
National trials also took place at Gateway in Harare where three squads were to be announced to represent the country at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week, Under-18 Craven Week as well as the Under-18 Academy Week. The Grant Khomo Week is taking place at the same venue and dates as the Under-13 Craven Week while St Stithians College in Johannesburg is the setiting for the Under-18 Craven and Academy Weeks from 16 to 22 July.
Old Mutual Junior Sables for
Under-13 Craven Week
Alex Chikamhi, Luke Prichard, Mandisi Ndlovu(all Falcon College), Tanya Chiwara(St George’s College), Tawana Machawi, Munyaradzi Ruredzo, Bradley Gumbo, Connor Grant, Andrew Robinson, Tasimbiswa Kadziyanike, Daniel Rasmus (all St John’s College), Gomes Nyirenda, Tatenda Chara (both PE), Brendan Jameson, Kelton Kaseke, Tadiwa Muvadi(all Heritage), Alex Dandadze(Kyle College), Tanya Takaendesa(MCC), Shingi Manyarara, Chase Smythe (both Hillcrest), Washington Matiyenga (Petra), Tapiwa Gakuchichi (Lomagundi)
Non travelling reserves: Cullum Davis, Daniel Anderson (both St John’s), Cordy Grant (Falcon College), Jason Peters (St George’s), Tanyaradzwa Chinyaoza (Gateway), Kelvin Kaseke (Heritage)
Coach: Gordon Pangeti
Assistant coach: Derek Chiwara
Team manager: Tanetswa Dinhidza
— @Mdawini_29
