‘Everyone was expecting us to take 100 points’: Mudzekenyedzi proud of effort in North America

enockmuchinjo
2 hours ago
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By SportsCast Writer

HARARE – Star Zimbabwe centre Brandon Mudzekenyedzi has praised the team for outstanding performances in the first leg of the newly-established World Rugby Nations Cup in the United States and Canada over the past three weekends.

The Sables, who are now classified as a second-tier side following their improved showing over the past three years as well as qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Australia, are one of 12 nations taking part in the Nations Cup, and all of them qualified for the World Cup next year.

Zimbabwe opened against Tonga and hosts USA on the first two weekends of July, putting up good fights to lose 36-26 and 31-15 respectively. They then came the closest to win their first game of the tour, going down 23-19 to the hosts Canada in Winnipeg last weekend.

“Obviously, the Sables are fine-tuning, we’re almost there,” Mudzekenyedzi told SportsCast on Thursday.

“Everyone was expecting us to take 100 points in every game. We are here to win, not to take part.”

The Zimbabweans will now return to Nations Cup action in the United Kingdom in November with different challenge coming in the form of Uruguay, Chile and Samoa.

On the North America part of the campaign, Zimbabwe rotated squad members throughout the three games, with nearly every player on the touring party getting game-time.

29-year-old Mudzekenyedzi, now one of Zimbabwe’s most influential players, believes the exposure given to the large squad will benefit the Sables in the UK in November.

“We know the coaches and staff are building depth and longevity,” he said.

“Zimbabweans are supposed to have a nation that is a contender, even with the Springboks and the All Blacks. So with belief and knowing a plan is in place, we just need to be tougher and more precise while trusting is the coaching staff’s plan.

“We just need to perform and get the results.”