Harare — IT'S probably difficult to see it but, step by step, Zimbabwe rugby is slowly pulling itself out of the quagmire and taking a leap back into the big time.

But the lack of adequate funding continues to throw a shadow that keeps hanging over the efforts of everyone who is trying to take Zimbabwean rugby back into the big time.

After years of decline, things are slowly starting to look good, and there have been encouraging signs on the international front for the nation that gave the world a host of rugby stars.

The Cheetahs the national Sevens team have been leading the way and their recent strong performance against South Africa, the world's top team, made the world sit up and take notice.

Grant Mitchell was not part of the Cheetahs side that was in South Africa at the weekend due to an ankle injury. However, he made the trip after having been roped in as the Goshawks coach.

Mitchell believes the Cheetahs have been brilliant in the past five years but would have been a far better side if the Goshawks played more games and more players were developed in this feeder side.

"The Cheetahs have been exceptional in the past five years as they have been involved in tournaments like these," said Mitchell.

"But I am happy about the way the Goshawks have played in this tournament because they really played as a team -- winning three, drawing one and losing one is not bad at all.

"This shows that if the players get a lot of exposure we will be able to take Zimbabwe rugby to a different and better level.

"This year the Goshawks have only played in two tournaments. Tournaments like these help players stay focused and that is the reason we need them because if a player stays focused it means he is going to develop at a better rate and be more prepared for bigger tournaments."

The outstanding Scotty Jones was the only player in the Goshawks team who played at the Castle Sevens.

The trip to South Africa was also an opportunity to unveil the potential in players like Lloyd Machanjaire from Mutare.

"That has to be the process that players have to come from the Goshawks where they get the required exposure," said Mitchell.

There is consensus in Zimbabwean rugby that there is need to invest in the Goshawks for the ultimate benefit of the Cheetahs.

The problem has been where to get the funding. This year the Goshawks have played only two tournaments the Castle Sevens in Zambia in April and the Middelburg (Mpumalanga) Sevens international festival -- in South Africa last weekend.

Clearly, two tournaments are not enough to help in the production line of players who have to graduate into the Cheetahs side.

The Cheetahs play, at least, six tournaments each year. They have already taken part in tournaments in Zambia, Kenya and South Africa and will feature in the three legs of the International Rugby Board Sevens Series -- Hong Kong, Dubai and George. Funding has been a big problem and the Cheetahs failed to travel to Tunisia for another tournament. Team manager Bruce Hobson acknowledged that there was need to invest in he Goshawks but also lamented the shortage of funding.

"We would love to take the Goshawks for a lot of tournaments but the lack of funds has been restricting us," said Hobson.

"We were also supposed to take the Goshawks to Namibia as we had planned that both the Cheetahs and the developmental side would travel by road. But there were some logistical changes and we ended up travelling with the Cheetahs only."

Hobson claimed they had raised funds for both sides to travel by road but Namibia chipped in with air tickets for the Cheetahs to travel for the tournament.