The Sunday Mail
THE Zimbabwe Cheetahs need to up their work rate and adopt a more professional approach if they are to realise their dream of qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This is the assessment of the team’s strength and conditioning coach Grant Mitchell following last weekends’ Confederation of African Rugby Sevens Cup third place finish.
Apart from earning them automatic entry to next year’s tournament, the Cheetahs’ third position also gave them a ticket to the 2014-15 Hong Kong Sevens Series tournament.
It did not secure qualification for the Olympics, but thrust the side into the first round of qualifiers.
With the battle for a ticket to Rio set to be immense, Mitchell notes that the Cheetahs need to change the way they go about business.
“Professionally, we are a long way off,” he said.
“We have an abundance of talent, but that talent is not supported by a professional coaching program nor by the corporates.
“To add to this, probably the biggest challenge is a historical one that requires a collective overhaul and that is player professionalism and culture.
“Regardless of what money is involved and who coaches the team, if the player is not fully invested in preparing himself as a national athlete, then forget the investment in this athlete. It just won’t work.”
The former Cheetahs’ fly half added that local rugby needs unity of purpose.
“Attitude is supported by the program as a whole, and this program works if the human resource (players, technical team and administration) invest in it . . . a bit of a double-edged sword, which means everyone needs to come to the party to make this work,” said Mitchell.
“I have no doubt that Zimbabwe Rugby (Union) is ready to invest in this program of Olympic qualification. They just need to be strategic, secure the appropriate human resource, support the players, find the money and be consistent and aggressive towards achieving this goal. Make no mistake, it will be difficult, but it is possible.
“It is a hugely exciting, but mammoth challenge to ensure the objective of Olympic qualification is met. This will not happen without every box being ticked.”
Continental giants South Africa won last weekend’s series after overpowering Kenya 38-5 in the final.
Tunisia, who lost 41-5 to the hosts in the third place play-off, came fourth, while Namibia and Uganda took fifth and sixth places, respectively.
