THE Zimbabwe senior men’s Sevens team, the Zambezi Cheetahs, are brimming with confidence as they kick off their campaign in the 2025 Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Cup in Port Louis, Mauritius, this morning.
The Cheetahs are determined to bring home the coveted title from the two-day event, which concludes tomorrow.
Zimbabwe has been drawn in Pool C, alongside formidable opponents Tunisia, Mauritius and Madagascar.
Their journey begins this morning with a clash against Tunisia, followed by a midday encounter with hosts Mauritius, before concluding their group stage matches in the afternoon against Madagascar.
Head coach Ricky Chirengende expressed strong conviction in his squad's capabilities.
"It’s been a long time since we assembled a squad this strong," he said. "We’ve made up for lost prep time with the quality of our selection. We’re going out to bring back the big prize.”
Captain Tapiwa Malenga echoed his coach's sentiment, emphasising the team's readiness and determination. “We’re confident, focused and ready. This tournament is our ticket back to consistent international competition,” Malenga declared.
The Cheetahs boast a powerful 12-man squad that expertly blends seasoned experience with exciting rising talent, including several stars from the victorious Sables 15s team.
This formidable lineup highlights their hunger to reclaim African glory, a feat they last achieved in 2012.
Notably, Zimbabwe has strategically included five players from their triumphant Rugby Africa Cup 15s squad, including the distinguished Player of the Tournament, Tapiwa Mafura.
These players are also slated to feature in the upcoming 15s title defence in Uganda next month, a move deliberately orchestrated to benefit both formats of the game.
“It is deliberate,” explained Chirengende, who also serves as assistant coach for the 15s team. “I didn’t do this without the blessing of Pieter [Zimbabwe XV head coach Piet Benade]. It’s something that we spoke about; it could be valuable game time for the guys. It just helps with their sharpness leading into Africa Cup XVs in Uganda [which serves as Africa’s final 2027 World Cup qualifiers].”
A top finish in this tournament holds significant weight for Zimbabwe, as it could secure them a coveted spot in the World Rugby Challenger Series and reignite their Olympic dreams.
While some nations, such as defending champions Uganda, are using this tournament to blood new talent with a relatively inexperienced squad, Zimbabwe's focus is unequivocally on lifting the continental title.
Other nations vying for the championship include Burkina Faso, Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
Zimbabwe Cheetahs Squad:
* Vuyani Dhlomo
* Munashe Dukuswa
* Brandon Mudzekenyedzi
* Edward Sigauke
* Godfrey Magaramombe
* Ryan Musumhi
* Tapiwa Malenga (Captain)
* Dion Khumalo
* Tapiwa Mafura
* Tinotenda Blithe Mavesere
* Carlos Matematema
* Trevor Gurwe
Management Team:
* Head Coach: Ricky Paul Chirengende
* Team Manager: Tafadzwa Mhende
* Physiotherapist: Thelma Musingwini
Cheetahs’ Fixtures:
* 09:00 – Zimbabwe vs Tunisia
* 11:44 – Zimbabwe vs Mauritius
* 14:50 – Madagascar vs Zimbabwe
