Rugby squad brace for do-or-die match
BRENDAN DAWSON

BRENDAN DAWSON

THE Zimbabwe national 15s rugby team, the Sables, who are now in Siberia where they will play Russia in a 2015 International Rugby Board World Cup qualifier on Saturday are ready for battle.Coach Brendan Dawson is aware of the nation’s expectations. He expressed confidence in the team.

He said: “With what’s at stake we are here to win. I believe we have what it takes to win this match. We have been working hard as a team and everyone seems to be in a good condition.

“The boys are looking forward to the match and we are giving it our all, it’s all or nothing. They are ranked above  us yes, but we have never played  them so as far as I’m concerned it’s anyone’s game. We will go out there to win this match and we intend to play some attacking rugby. The team is ready and confident we will win this, everyone is looking forward to the game.”

Following the recent heartbreak in Madagascar where the impressive side narrowly missed on automatic qualification for the 2015 England World Cup to rivals Namibia, the rugby flagship side continues to chase the World Cup dream via the gruelling play-off route.

Possible opponents Uruguay and Hong Kong, both ranked above Zimbabwe, clash on the same day for a date with the winner between Zimbabwe and Russia.

The Sables who have been having two sessions a day since Monday seem to be gaining confidence and believe that they can cause an upset and progress to the next stage.

The one-off match — the first ever meeting between the two countries will take place on Saturday and will be refereed by Nigel Owens of Wales with fellow countrymen Sean Brickell and Wayne Davies appointed as assistant referees.

Following the conclusion of the CAR Africa Cup, Zimbabwe are ranked 27th in the IRB World Rankings — seven places below the Bears, who have yet to taste victory since Raphael Saint-Andre replaced Kingsley Jones as head coach for the IRB Nations Cup in June.

On the same day, Asia qualification runner-up Hong Kong will play the second team in South America, Uruguay, in Montevideo.

That match will be handled by Federico Anselmi of Argentina with the assistants coming from the same union, yet to be named.

A place in the two-leg Repechage final awaits the winner of both matches as the race to secure a place for England 2015 reaches its climax.

The winner of the Repechage play off will join Australia, England, Wales and Fiji in Pool A of rugby’s pinnacle tournament next year.

By its conclusion, 3,000 players from 83 teams across six continents will have taken part in a record-breaking Rugby World Cup 2015 qualification process featuring 203 matches.

 

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