ZIMBABWE 15s rugby team captain Hilton Mudariki is eager for the upcoming international tour of the United Arab Emirates and South Korea, citing the much-needed exposure as a crucial opportunity for his team.
Preparations for this tour are in full swing as the Sables under the developmental side tag have had practicing games against Provincial teams, the High-Performance side and the Zimbabwe U20 sides at the home of rugby, Harare Sports Club.
The locally based players have been holding the fort in the absence of their foreign legion, who are expected to be trooping into camp soon.
“It’s good to be back in camp. I think there’s huge excitement around the end-of-year tour. We get to travel to new countries, experience different conditions and the guys can’t wait to go,” said Mudariki, who is excited at the level of competition being exhibited among national team hopefuls.
He reckons a tough job for head coach Pieter Benade and national team selectors.
“I think it’s very good. Competition always brings out the best in all of us. The more headaches we can give the coach, the better. It’s great for the Sables if we keep pushing each other, especially over the next couple of weeks as guys fight for positions,” he said.
“We’ve been doing our homework, watching the games they’ve been playing. As more guys join the camp, we’ll start to have more video sessions and the coaches will identify key areas of strength and weakness.”
After gunning down the Zim U20 side 76-17 last weekend, the two sides rekindle their siblings rivalry with another date this Saturday at Harare Sports Club.
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“We want these games to remain competitive and we know the quality that the U20s bring. For us, it’s about rectifying mistakes and perfecting our game plan. We want to be as sharp as possible before heading into the tour,” added Mudariki.
“We always appreciate the fans who come out to support us. It definitely goes a long way and we encourage even more fans to come this weekend. It’s exciting times for Zimbabwean rugby.”
The final squad for the tour is expected to be announced this week.
