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BRENDAN DAWSON

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
SABLES coach Brendan Dawson believes speed and agility will be vital if they are to beat Russia in the crucial one-off first round of the World Cup qualifier play off match in Siberia.Three members of the technical team leave the country today with the players flying out tomorrow for a week-long training camp in the city of Krasnoyarsk which will play host to the must-win encounter on August 2.

The winner of the tie to be played at Central Stadium will face the winner of the game between Uruguay and Hong Kong on a home and away basis for the remaining World Cup ticket.

Dawson is confident that his charges will make the country proud and make it for the world rugby showpiece which will be held next year in England.

“Everyone is positive about the trip and the guys are raring to go. We have been training hard for this game and there is no way that we can afford to make any slip up as everyone is looking at making it for the World Cup. We are capable of beating Russia and we are going to do that.

“We have been analysing some of their matches and from what we have seen they are not fearsome. What we have to do is to be quicker and run them across the field because they have heavy forwards. We have to avoid making mistakes, make use of the ball by trying to keep possession but what I believe will be key is to break with pace,” said Dawson.

Twenty four players will make the trip with only Shayne Mukombe who did not travel with the team to Madagascar for African qualifiers coming in for Gerald Sibanda.

The Zimbabwe Rugby Union vice president Nyararai Sibanda will travel as head of delegation while Cyprian Mangende will be assistant coach, Brighton Chivandire is team manager and Sharon Mkumbudzi is the team’s physiotherapist.

Liam Middleton, whose presence in both the Sevens and conventional 15-a-side teams has been an issue, will not be travelling this time around. Without his alleged interference, Dawson and his team would have to prove that they are just as competent and suitable for the job. His assistant Mangende and team manager Chivandire are experienced coaches in their own right who have seen most of the players develop from schoolboy rugby into the pros ranks.

There are a number of experienced players in the Sables squad in the form of captain Daniel Hondo, his deputy Jacques Leitao who has led the Cheetahs on a number of successful trips, Joubert Pieter, Sanele “Smiley” Sibanda and Tafadzwa Chitokwindo who are Dawson’s trump cards.

The team

Joubert Pieter, Murray Keith, Kevin Nqindi, Jan Ferreira, Sanele Sibanda, Graeme Lawler, Jacques Leitao (vice captain), Lambert Groenewald, Hilton Mudariki, Guy Cronje, Stephan Hunduza, Riaan O’Neill, Daniel Hondo (captain), Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Danny Robertson, Lawrence Cleminson, Matthew Mandioma, Farai Mudariki, Takunda Chifokoyo, Fortunate Chipendu, Kingsley Lang, Peter du Toit, Lenience Tambwera, Shayne Makombe