HARARE - Zimbabwe national rugby team survived injury concerns yesterday after a number of players limped off during a warm up match between the Wildebeast XV and the Impala XV here.
Prop Denford Mutamangira was first on the injury list after picking up a concussion before hooker Simba Mandioma was carried off with a similar injury.
Replacement prop Lawrence Clemson also gave the Sables technical team a scare after picking up a cut on the side of his head.
However, Sables coach Brendon Dawson shrugged off the injury concerns as ‘nothing.’
The Sables were using the match to gear up for the four-nation Africa Cup tournament set for Antananarivo, Madagascar at the end of the month.
The tournament will act as the final qualifying stage for the 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup with the winner of the Madagascar tourney sealing one of Africa’s slot in England.
“Nah they are all fine. It’s just minor injuries but it’s not too bad they will all recover and they will be fine,” he said.
Dawson was impressed with the fighting spirit shown by the players.
“We have two great scrumhalves. You saw Guy Cronje moving from fly half to scrumhalf. So we have the options,” he said.
“It’s going to be difficult to pick out players. You could see the quality that we have. So its up to us to make sure we pick the right guys.”
Teams
Wildebeast XV:15.Danny Robertson, 14.Gerald Sibanda, 13.Shayne Makombe, 12.Daniel Hondo, 11.Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, 10.Lenience Tambwera, 9.Peter Du Toit, 8.Kingsley Lang, 7.Graeme Lawler, 6.Njabulo Ndlovu, 5.Michael Passaportis, 4.Jan Ferreira, 3.Farai Mudariki/Lawrence Clemenson, 2.Keith Murray, 1.Pieter Joubert.
Impala XV: 15.Tangai Nemadire, 14.Josh Rowe, 13.Stephan Hunduza, 12.Tichafara Makwanya, 11.Gardner Nechironga, 10.Guy Cronje, 9.Hamilton Mudariki, 8.Lambert Groenewald, 7.Jacques Leitao, 6.Fortune Chipendu, 5.Schalk Ferreira, 4.Sanele Sibanda, 3.Kevin Nqindi/Tapiwa Mangezi, 2.Simba Mandioma, 1.Denford Mutamangira/Royal Mwale.