OLD Mutual Zimbabwe Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week coach Scott Gray has gone for the strongest possible side for his team’s opening match at St Stithians College on Tuesday morning.

Rivaldo Kwidini, Tadiwanashe Mabhudhu and Brendan Mudzikitiri make up the front row. Dexter Trail and Davin King will scrum down in the second row with the skipper Jack Charsley, Ryan Smith and Ronald Mirimi. Dillon Brain is the man to throw the ball in the scrum and retrieve it during the breakdown at scrumhalf, making up a halfback pairing with Tinashe Hombiro at flyhalf. Tafadziswa Bunu and Lameck Vheriwa will start on the wings, Mazvitaishe Nyamarebvu is at inside centre and Tadiwa Muchemwa on the outside while Tapiwa Marimira is the last man in defence at fullback.

Gray described the match up against Leopards as being an enormous challenge for his lads as they do not know much about their opponents.  

Gray expressed his contentment with the way they had geared up for the Craven Week, with Tuesday encounter going to give him a pointer as how much progress has been made by his lads. The Zimbabwe born former Scotland captain took over as Craven Week from long term mentor Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa.

“It’s a massive challenge for us, I am really excited to see how the preparations have gone, we need to see how we are at and this is the first test to see that.  We have used the two days of training as possible, we have some boys carrying some knocks but nothing serious. We don’t know much about Leopards, we haven’t seen them play,’’ said Gray.

The Zimbabwean lads have had two days of training, on Sunday and Monday after arriving in South Africa on Saturday evening. On Monday, they held a fine tuning session in the morning at Queens High School where the two teams are based prior to attending the official opening ceremony at St Stithians College.

For the Basil Dingiswayo coached Academy Week team, their debut is against Golden Lions XV in what is down as the first match of the day on the B-field.

Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-18 Craven Week against Leopards

Rivaldo Kwidini, Tadiwanashe Mabhudhu, Brendan Mudzikitiri, Dexter Trail, Davin King, Jack Charsley (captain), Ryan Smith, Ronald Mirimi, Dillon Brain, Tinashe Hombiro, Tafadziswa Bunu, Mazvitaishe Nyamarebvu(vice-captain), Tadiwa Muchemwa, Lameck Vheriwa, Tapiwa Marimira

Replacements: Marcus Nicole, Kudakwashe Mashonga, Cody Rensburg, Prince Mupfurutsa, Simbarashe Chingono, Michael Mhute, Lameck Vheriwa, Leroy Kagodora, Lebukgang Mokuele

Old Mutual Zimbabwe Academy Week against Golden Lions XV

Adrian Zivanai, Takudzwa Mutukumira, Kundai Mashingaidze, Innocent Mpariwa, Thokozani Mrewa, Matthew Owuru, Sean Mupanemunda (captain), Louis Du Plessis, Nigel Tinarwo, Taine Roelofsz, Allan Mawande, Sean Maenzanise I(vice-captain), Edwin Mutseyekwa, Siampunga Sindaza , Anesu Haki

Replacements: Brendon Sibanda, Brian Chakoma, Takunda Magondo, Alce Melo, James Owuru, Joshua Allardice, Takudzwa Siyawamwaya, Takunda Machaya

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