Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
CRÈME de la crème of rugby talent in Manicaland will take to the field of play under the Manicaland Select banner for a potentially scintillating encounter against highly rated Harare Sports Club tomorrow (Saturday) at Mutare Sports Club.
The match starts at 3pm.
Of late, there is a noticeable improvement in game time for rugby players in the province at different levels, including club and age-group competitions, and only recently, the Manicaland Select lost to Zim A 30-46.
For tomorrow’s encounter, Manicaland Select coach, Armson Makumbe said they will not make many changes to the team that faced Zim A.
Makumbe said his team’s strength lies in ball control and their attacking flair.
“The team line up for our upcoming match will largely remain unchanged from the squad that faced Zimbabwe A, with Jones Dedza and Dean Makeeche leading the charge.
“We welcome back players who were previously side-lined with injuries, bolstering our provincial squad. Our provincial team’s forte lies in ball control and attacking flair, which we will leverage to maximum effect. This week, we will focus on tactical refinements. We are optimistic about our chances and look forward to making our province proud,” said Makumbe.
In a separate interview, Manicaland Rugby Board chairman, Mos Kapumha said: “This fixture comes at the end of the Rugby 15s League season. For Manicaland, it helps us to keep our structures going at provincial level within the team.
“It gives us good competition through a match against a formidable opponent in Harare Sports Club, who were the Nedbank 2024 champions as well as runners-up in the Paramount Rugby League. It gives our coaches areas to work on. Their strength and conditioning, development of new talent, new conditions in the forwards and backline, will all be improved.
“It will also test their pattern of play ball retention, phase play, how they play in each third quarter of the field, on exit plan in the red zone, going for territory in the Orange Zone and finishing of in the final third the green zone.
“They will obviously work on their set pieces which is the scrummaging, lineouts and penalties in order to use these to our advantage and be able to score either through penalty kicks, tries and conversions,” said Kapumha.
He said the increased number of matches being played by teams from the province is helping in giving players exposure.
“We have players like Delan Chiduku, who has brute strength to also make it into the Zim A squad. The likes of Jones Dedza, Mugabe, Pinky, Samaneka, Tanya, Saurombe, Nyamundanda, also have great potential,” he said.
Manicaland Select squad:
Delan Chiduku, Donald Chikwadze, Rodwell Shapi, Djibril Manyuchi, Linton Kusena, Takudzwa Dembaremba, Elliot Chimwamurombe, Jones Dedza (C), Dean Makweche (VC), Kenneth Murefu, Tinotenda Marara, Nigel Gukushu, Munashe Chaitezwi, Tafadzwa Chipuriro, Brendon Jameson, Tinashe Guwa, Brendon Sibanda, Alvin Magwaza, Tatenda Gwanzura, Charles Malunga, Kevin Gomwe, Willbroad Moyo, Takunda Hunyenyiwa, Dillon Kadungure and Isheanesu Ncube.
