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Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE’S Cheetahs got a reality check at the Cape Town World Series Rugby Sevens tournament in South Africa where they received severe battering from their opponents as they bowed without a win in the competition.

The Cheetahs performance in Cape Town over the weekend painted a gloomy but real picture of the state of Zimbabwean rugby after they came out of the World Sevens Series tournament bruised and battered, marking yet another year without any silverware.

Having lost to South Africa, England and Kenya in their group games on the opening day, the results showed Zimbabwe have fallen way behind the Sevens core members — the same sides they used to give hard times just a few years ago.

The Cheetahs were just too weak a team to be in Cape Town and they had no zeal, no belief and the way they played showed little eagerness and above all could not show any sense of urgency.

As a result they were made to pay dearly for their lifeless displays.

Just a few years ago Zimbabwe beat the United States, got the better of Kenya, Argentina, and the likes of France not once but on several occasions as they made a mark on the international stage.

But their performance in South Africa over the weekend was just a confirmation of how poor the Cheetahs have become.

It seems life is getting worse for the Cheetahs with each passing tournament and their result against Kenya in the group stages is a true reflection of what Zimbabwe rugby has not been able to do and what Kenya has managed to achieve within a month.

The Cheetahs opened with a 26-5 loss at the hands of neighbours South Africa, Zimbabwe’s only unconverted try coming from second half substitute Riaan O’Neil who came in for captain Hilton Mudariki.

South Africa, however, responded with four tries —three of them converted.

Then came England and Zimbabwe had no answer or solution to the way the Europeans played as they made light work of the porous Cheetahs defence who let seven in tries in to suffer a 43-0 drubbing from a half time score of 12-0.

Coach Daniel Hondo’s Cheetahs met Kenya in their final group game — a match in which Zimbabwe were expected to at least give the east Africans a tough time given the close rivalry between the two sides.

Exactly a month ago, Zimbabwe made it to the final of the Africa Cup which was also being used as the 2016 Olympic qualifier, meeting Kenya in the deciding game but they lost it on the final buzzer as Kenya came from behind with a converted try snatching a 21-17 win.

So close it was, but just 27 days down the line, Zimbabwe met Kenya again — a game in which the Cheetahs were expected to give a better performance given that Kenya were a weakened outfit and were forced to make changes after some of their players got injured in Dubai.

Of course Zimbabwe also made a couple of changes due to work commitments but stakes were still high for the Cheetahs ahead of the two teams meeting but Kenya showed the character and mental attitude that makes them a core member.

That Zimbabwe finished bottom of the Group B and this saw them move on to the quarter finals of the Bowl and once again there was no joy for them either as they fell 21-12 to Wales with Stephan Hunduza with a converted try and Shayne Makombe, scoring their consolation points.

This result further relegated them to the Shield semi-finals but there was to be more misery for captain Hilton Mudariki and his Cheetahs as Samoa thumped them 33-0 in their final game of the competition.

Cheetahs squad:

Hilton Mudariki (captain), Jacques Leitao, Njabulo Ndlovu, Riaan O’Neill, Kudakwashe Chiwanza, Boyd Rouse, Graham Kaulback, Stephan Hunduza, Lenience Tambwera, Shayne Makombe, Takudzwa Francisco, Mkulili Ndhlela