By ADRIAN MWANZA –
THE Zambia 15s rugby team today gets into action in a Africa Rugby (AR) Bronze Cup classification final against Algeria in Mufulira looking to better the impressive exploits of the national sevens team.
With the sevens taking all the headlines recently having taken part in the Vic-Falls, Zambia and Maseru international Sevens, where the impressed, the 15s know that have work cut out this afternoon.
Added to the sevens outings was the Sevens Africa Cup from where the Musonda Kaminsa coached side qualified to the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
So the game against Algeria will be more than just one to get a better ranking in the Silver Group but to show that the 15s national team is still relevant to the Zambians rugby setup.
Zambia got itself here after winning the Bronze regionalised tournament where they beat Mauritius and Rwanda while Algeria had an easy passage following the sanctioning of their opponents Nigeria and Cameroon for poor management of the game.
So this game comes asa real test for Zambia and will give coach Mwamba Chishimba a feel of how the Silver category has to offer having cantered past the qualifying tournament it hosted with two big wins- a 92-3 annihilation of Rwanda and a 69-3 bashing of Mauritius
So the North-African will be the a first real test of character with Zambia who likely to look to the likes of Laston Mukosa, ThadiousChipoya, Davy Chimbukulu, Fines Chinkumbe and Ali Bhikato deliver a vital win.
National 15s coach Chishimba expressed his hope that the charges would be as good as they were in the qualifying tournament Zambia hosted and keep a good home record .