Tsimba: ‘Sables have to embrace the challenge rather than fear it’

Zimbabwe trained in Stellenbosch ahead of the clash with South Africa 'A'.

By Enock Muchinjo

HARARE – For a man who made an unerasable footprint in the game of rugby in both countries, Kennedy Tsimba’s interest in the match between South Africa ‘A’ and his native Zimbabwe on Saturday is irrefutable.  

The clash between the exciting South African second-string side and Zimbabwe is an opener for the Springboks’ unofficial Test with the Barbarians at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick will take charge of SA ‘A’ for the Zimbabwe tie (kickoff 12pm), and has since named five senior Boks in his line-up in anticipation of a good fight from the Sables.

One of the five Springboks to face the Zimbabweans is the veteran out-side centre Lukhanyo Am, who has been selected at 12 as the world’s leading rugby nation continues to experiment with different ideas.

Tsimba – an assistant coach at South African giants Bulls – commented that the younger members of the SA ‘A’ side will also pose threat equal to their senior counterparts.

“(Junior Springbok hooker) Siphosethu ‘Chilliboi’ Mnebelele is one I will be keeping a close watch on as I think he has a bright future, and I think he may well be a future Springbok captain,” Tsimba told SportsCast on Tuesday evening.

“The back three, including Luan Giliomee, will also be exciting to watch. The pack will do their thing as per usual.

“The Sables have to embrace the challenge rather than fear it. The Sables’ opportunity is to match the physicality, stay disciplined, and use the game as a benchmark of where they need to be as a World Cup-qualified nation.”

Tsimba spoke to SportsCast from Irish capital Dublin where Bulls will clash with Leinster in the URC Grand Final at Croke Park on Friday night.

It’s a massive game for the Pretoria franchise against the URC’s defending champions in their own backyard.

But Tsimba, Zimbabwe’s first black rugby captain back in 1998, found time ahead of the Dublin showdown to offer some insights to his former national team before their own daunting task on Saturday.

“The biggest adjustment for the Sables will be the speed of decision-making,” said Tsimba.

“Against South Africa ‘A’, every mistake is punished quicker. The Sables will need to win collisions, maintain accuracy under pressure, and stay connected defensively for the full 80 minutes.”

Ex-flyhalf Tsimba was a schoolboy sensation back in Zimbabwe in the early 90s before gaining a few Test caps for the Sables, later on proceeding to break a South African point-scoring record and dazzling crowds during a spellbinding career in the neighbouring country. All this was sandwiched between a brief spell in the English Premiership with Bath in the late 90s.

The World Rugby Hall of Famer maintains close ties with the game in his homeland, and unsurprisingly his knowledge of the current Zimbabwe squad is more on players he has coached against or rubbed shoulders with in South Africa.  

“This Sables side has built confidence through recent success and has developed a strong belief in its game,” Tsimba said.

“The leadership of captain Hilton Mudariki, Tapiwa Mafura, Tino Mavesere and the other experienced players within the squad will be important. Their greatest strength is their resilience and willingness to compete for everything, which is why this (SA ‘A’ v Zim match) should be a valuable test for both teams.”

Meanwhile, in addition to the five capped Boks, South Africa ‘A’ have selected several upcoming players for the Sables encounter, including South Africa Under-20 stars heading to Georgia for the Junior World Championship later this month as well as consistent domestic performers.

Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has revealed that South Africa will use the Zimbabwe game to "capture" top Junior Bok talent from being potentially poached by other national teams in future. Playing for South Africa 'A', officially the country's second team as submitted to global governing body World Rugby, means a player is now tied to that country and therefore cannot switch international allegiance except in the case of qualification by ancestry or family tree.

The Zimbabweans themselves, due to professional and personal reasons, will be missing at least five of their key players who played an instrumental role in the Sables’ qualification for the 2027 World Cup.

Star Sables flyhalf Ian Prior, player-of-the-tournament in the World Cup qualifiers in Uganda last year, is out of the SA ‘A’ tie. So is utility forward Godfrey Muzanargwo, man-of-the-match in the important 30-28 win over Namibia in the qualifiers’ final in Kampala last July.

The other notable absentees is the England-based pair of prop Cleopas Kundiona and wing Matt McNab alongside Jason Fraser, the Sables’ first-choice eighthman in last year’s historic World Cup qualification competition.

Zimbabwe will announce their match-day side on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

                                        FULL SABLES TRAINING SQUAD

Forwards: Aiden Burnett, Simba Mandioma, Victor Mupunga, Dylan Utete, Farai Mudariki, Gary Porter, Dale Lemon, Dan Cooke, Kudakwashe Nyakufaringwa, Liam Larkan, Michael Kumbirayi, Bornwell Gwinji, Simbarashe Siraha, Tadiwanashe Gwashu, Tino Mavesere, Tjide Visser.

Backs: Hilton Mudariki, Brandon Mudzekenyedzi, Bruce Houston, Dion Khumalo, Ed Sigauke, Keegan Joubert, Kudzi Mashawi, Tapiwa Mafura, Tatenda Kamubvumbi, Trevor Gurwe.