Sevens international tournament on the cards

ZIMBABWE Sevens rugby side, the Cheetahs, will get a chance to judge their level of preparedness ahead of their IRB World Sevens Series qualifiers set for Hong Kong after it emerged the Zimbabwe Rugby Union plans to host an international tournament mid March.The Zimbabwe rugby side will use the tournament as part of its preparations for the IRB World Sevens Series qualifiers which the Cheetahs will need to win to secure core status.
In a telephone interview last week, the Cheetahs Committee chairman, Donald Mangenje, revealed to the Financial Gazette Sport that Hong Kong is one of the teams expected at the proposed two day competition at Harare Sports club.

The other national teams are Russia, Georgia, South Africa and Kenya.

 “We are trying to squeeze in an international tournament here in Harare mid March,” Mangenje said.
 “We are looking at inviting Hong Kong, Russia, Georgia, South Africa and Kenya to this tournament.”

It is understood that while the Famous Grouse, a Scottish whisky manufacturing giant, will take care of the Cheetahs during their international tours, the rugby administrators are still to secure a sponsor for the tournament.
Retail giant Spar Zimbabwe has been the main Cheetahs and international tournaments sponsors but pulled out of the deal last year.

“As you might know, Spar Zimbabwe pulled out as Cheetahs’ main and tournament sponsors. So we are exploring all options. We are hoping to secure about US$120 000, an amount which will be enough to cover all that is required to successfully host the proposed two day tournament,” said Mangenje.

The Cheetahs have been invited to participate in the HSBC World Sevens Series qualifiers slated for March 26-28 in Hong Kong.
The IRB recently altered its rules with the team winning the qualifying tournament in Hong Kong automatically promoted to IRB Sevens core status.
Mangenje is confident the Cheetahs would secure core status membership.

“It’s really unfortunate. If the rules last year had been like what will happen in Hong Kong this year, we would have been a core member by now,” added Mangenje.
The Hong Kong tournament is an important one for the Cheetahs as winning it will enable the team to participate in all nine tournaments on the IRB World Sevens Series Circuit.
Failure to attain core status, analysts say would stifle the growth of the shorter version of the game in the country.

Currently the Cheetahs only take part in selected tournaments on the circuit on an invitational basis and players are contracted on tournament to tournament basis. Last month, the Cheetahs had a miserable campaign at the IRB Sevens World Series in Port Elizabeth, South Africa where it lost all their matches.
The team lost to Samoa, Argentina and England in group games before losing to Australia and Canada in consolation games.