Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Paul Munyuki
23 June 2008
Harare — INDEED it was a dark day for Zimbabwean sport against Kenya yesterday! Just when the senior national soccer team failed to scramble for a win against Kenya in their World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at home, the situation was worse in Kenya.
Zimbabwe's Sevens side the Cheetahs' road to glory ended with a 7-14 semi-final defeat at the hands of eventual winners Kenya in the 13th edition of the Safari Tusker Sevens rugby tournament.
According to the reports from Kenya, Zimbabwe started off well, winning their two opening pool matches before falling to giants Tunisia in the last pool match.
This then set them up a quarter-final date for with Pacific Ocean islanders Samurai, whom they beat 21-14.
But it was the defeat in the semi-final that saw the Cheetahs reaching the end of the road in their campaign for honours in one of the most prestigious African sevens tournaments. In the pool stages, Zimbabwe were in the same group with Southern African rivals Namibia, Kenya's second string side Shujaa, and Tunisia, who handed them the heaviest group defeat. The Cheetahs' 24-7 defeat at the hands of Tunisia, who had not suffered a defeat in the pool, saw them finishing second with one loss.
In their opening game, Zimbabwe easily saw off the challenge of Namibia, whom they thrashed 33-0 with Harare Sports Club winger Alex Ndangana leading the onslaught with a brace of tries.
Fortune Chipendu, Jacques Leitao and Slater Ndlovu all scored a try each while Tangai Nemadire (six points) and Grant Mitchell (two points) added more points from the boot.
The Cheetahs were also barely troubled by Shaaja, who they beat 12-5, but coach Liam Middleton's men fell against Kenya in the semi-final.
The Kenyans, who also beat France (26-12) in the pool stages, Fiji (10-5) in the quarter-final, and the Emerging Springboks of South Africa (31-12) in the final, did not lose a game on their way to the title.
Zimbabwe Results
Semi-final: Kenya 14, Zimbabwe 7.
Quarter-final: Samurai 14, Zimbabwe 21.
Pool B: Zimbabwe 33, Namibia 0; Zimbabwe 12, Shujaa 5; Zimbabwe 7, Tunisia 24.
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