10 rugby players report to camp
By Sports Reporter
ONLY 10 out of the 25 rugby players called up to the Zambia national team camp ahead of this weekend’s Mosi Sevens International tournament turned up for training yesterday at Red Arrows grounds.
And Zambia has been seeded second in pool A which consists of Golden Lions who are the seeded team while South African Airways and Green Buffaloes are the others.
Zambia Seven’s head coach Musa Zimba expressed disappointment at the players’ behavior saying they could have at least informed him of when they would pitch up.
Those found training yesterday were Richard Kapoma, Boyd Nyirenda, Kelvin Kampandu, Musonda Kaminsa and Xavier Chipili.
Others were Maluba Banda, Chilufya Humphrey, Noble Chisenga, Resmond Malumbe and Reuben Mkandawire.
And Zimba said he would use a new crop of players during the tournament because it was time that Zambia started building a team for the future.
“Players should know when to report for camp. They should at least let me know when they will pitch up so that I know how to go about with the preparations.
“And I think it’s time we use new blood in this event as the old players seem to be tired,” Zimba said.
He said apart from Ronnel Armengo who would join camp today and Owen Busange who dislocated his shoulder during the Rhino Sevens tournament at the weekend, the rest failed to communicate with him despite knowing his contact details.
The absentees include Diggers’ Alex Mwila, Patrick Chanda, Happy Chipili, Armitage Nyundo and Longa Chikwamo.
Also mising are Grant Mwila, Lawrence Njobvu, Maybin Mwape, Nickson Silomba and Chancy Mulama.
The rest are Lusaka’s Ceasar Mutesha, Mufulira’s Humphrey Chilufya, Jolly Chama of Konkola, Nchanga’s Kabwe Musonda, Lazarous Ngoma from Chibuluma and Ndola’s Willie Mwanza.
Meanwhile, Telecel and CFAO have become the latest companies to come aboard and sponsor the event by pumping in $3,000 (about K14.4 million) and $2,000(about K9.6 million) respectively.
During a Press briefing yesterday, Lusaka Rugby Club chairman Kelvin Haule commended the two companies for assistance to enable the organising committee to reach their budget of U$ 41,000.
And on the tournament seedings, Pool B has the Western Province, Zimbabwe, Lechwe and Red Arrows while Pool C is headed by Eastern Province, Mphumalanga, Goshawks and Lusaka rugby team.
Haule said the South African teams were being expected in the country tomorrow with the first coming in the morning and the others in the afternoon while the Zimbabweans who were travelling by road should be in by midday.
On the logistics, Haule said everything was in place ahead of the weekend tournament and that the Telecel Village would be ready by tomorrow.
He said that prizes such as a weekend for two at the Zambezi Sun, a return trip to Livingstone, a dinner for two at Whispers, would be at stake while Telecel would provide talk time with Debonaires coming up with pizzas.
