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Allen Khumalo, Sports Reporter
TWENTY players have been selected into the Matabeleland Under-13 rugby team, the Duikers, for this year’s Inter-provincial Owen Davies Trophy Festival set for St John’s Preparatory School in Harare from August 4-5.

The squad was selected following trials held at Petra Primary School on Sunday.

Whitestone School has the highest number of players in the Duikers team with 10, while Petra contributed seven, Masiyephambili two and Victoria Falls one.

Duikers manager, Trevor Chirwa, said their aim was to improve on last year’s disappointing performance in which they finished seventh.

“We have started our preparations for the competition and our first training session was this week. We will be training every Monday and Wednesday at Petra Primary until August. The reason we started preparations early is that last year we didn’t play well and our aim is to improve. By the time of the competition, the boys should be fit,” said Chirwa.

He was also confident that the selected players will raise the province’s flag high.

“We have a very strong team this time and I’m very confident they will deliver good results. We invited rugby playing schools from Matabeleland province and requested some former national team players to help in the selection process.”

Some players in the team include Harry Streak, son to Zimbabwe cricket coach Heath Streak, who has represented the country at junior level.

Matabeleland Duikers squad

Huntsman Williams (Whitestone), Connor Cahill (Whitestone), Sonny Brebner (Whitestone), Liam Maingehama (Whitestone), Daniel Widdop (Whitestone), Tatenda Runyowa (Whitestone), Richard Raynor (Whitestone), Matthew Rust (Whitestone), Garrick Guff (Whitestone), Tristan Burton (Whitestone), Harry Streak (Petra), Saxon Pettican (Petra), Mondliwethu Mpofu (Petra), Bandile Moyo (Petra), Theodore Wealie (Petra), Justin Steyn (Petra), Ethan Ferguson (Petra), Lyschel Murairwa (Masiyephambili), Shylo Nyakutya (Masiyephambili), David Mulder (Victoria Falls).

Coach: Jacques Nel (Whitestone)

Manager: Trevor Chirwa (Petra).

@khumzallen