The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
THE duo of Daniel Hondo and Sean De Souza look to have hit the ground running and have started plotting for the 2021 season, just days after their designation as rugby Sevens and Young Sables coaches.
The duo was among several appointments announced by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union last week, as part of the association’s on-going restructuring exercise.
Hondo takes over from the long-serving Gilbert Nyamutsamba as Cheetahs coach while De Souza will now be in charge of the men’s Under-20 side.
While Hondo and DeSouza were tasked with leading the Cheetahs and Young Sables, former Sables manager Dereck Chiwara, Munyaradzi Mhonda and Tangisayi Chidhakwa will coach the Lady Cheetahs, Lady Sables and the women’s Under-20 teams respectively.
However, it is Hondo who has a lot to do in a short space of time, what with the Olympics Repechage tournament just around the corner.
For Hondo his main objective is to achieve long-term targets, but he has vowed to give the Olympics qualification play-off the old college try.
“It is a bit early to start talking about the Olympics given that the particulars of the Repechage are yet to be announced, but the games remain a target. We are still in the running, and will surely give it our best shot,” he said.
Hondo’s main focus will be to try and restore some pride to the Cheetahs.
He also wants to build a bigger player base for the Sevens’ game.
“The main goal is to get Zimbabwe playing in the circuit and bring back some pride to the Cheetahs jersey.
“Being part of the 15 core teams will ensure that we play more games, and hopefully inspire some of the younger players to take pride and aspire to wear that Cheetahs jersey,” Hondo said.
In as far as building a bigger base, Hondo is set to address the much talked about need to create a Sevens-oriented player base.
“It’s been three to four years since I was in charge of the Cheetahs, and this is a new team and task altogether. The plan now is to familiarise myself with the players and try to build a bigger base.
“We have a meeting with the union in a couple of days during which I intend to present my plans and programme.
“We need to get down to business and that will entail getting the provinces playing some Sevens rugby again.
“Funds permitting, I would love to get some provincial camps going, meet with the boys as often as possible and have a bigger pool from which to select my team. Once we have that, I would also like to play as many tournaments as possible,” he said.
As far as De Souza is concerned, the Prince Edward Tigers’ gaffer is happy to finally get his first international coaching job.
“Obviously, coaching a national team, regardless of the level, is a huge honour, more so, for me, as I have been stuck in managerial posts for the last seven years,” he said. “The goal is to get us back playing in the Championship (World Under-20), and that is what we will work towards.
“My wish would be for corporates to come on board and support our dream so we can better prepare, get players in for camps from South Africa and from across the country.
“The future of Zimbabwe rugby is in my hands; I will not drop the ball as I build the backbone for the Sables so that we can focus on the 2023 World Cup qualification,” De Souza said.
Just a few years ago, the Under-20 side were a regular feature on the Junior world stage and current ZRU president Aaron Jani chaired the Young Sables committee.
