By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –

COACH Reuben Mkandawire has described as tough Zambia’s group at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualifying tournament set for November 14 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Zambia is drawn in Pool B together with Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Uganda while Pool A has Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal and Mauritius. Tunisia, Namibia, Morocco and Botswana will battle it out in pool C.
Mkandawire, whose team regrouped on Thursday ahead of the tournament, said Zambia would have to be at their best to beat opponents in the pool.
“It will not be easy because the teams we have been drawn against have good players. We will try our best and perform well so that we can earn qualification to the Rio Olympics,” Mkandawire said.
Zambia opens the tournament with a clash against Uganda before facing Zimbabwe later and wrap up the Pool games with an encounter against Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Zambia Rugby Union (ZRU) vice-president John Chibuye challenged the team to rise to the occasion and make amends for the dismal performance that saw the women team miss out on the qualification slot.
“The absence of the Red Arrows players is a big setback but we have adequate ammunition that can pull off a surprise in South Africa. We just have to do with what we have because even in Kenya we didn’t expect the team to put up a spirited fight but they did it to win the plate,” Chibuye said.
Chibuye said the union’s main target was to qualify to next year’s Olympic Games and urged the team to be focused and prepare adequately.
“We can’t just go there as participants. Our main aim is to take rugby to another level and that has to begin with individual players,” he said.
The team that regrouped at Magodi Lodge in Lusaka includes the Kitwe Playing Fields (KPF) quartet of Ntumba Besa, Carlos Kanyama, Patson Kasonde and Benaya Mukwamba, with the Green Eagles pair Thadious Chipoya and Martin Chisanga also making the cut.
Others are Jackson Nkhoma and Israel Kalumba of ‘Powerhouse’ Lusaka, Ferdinand Kashimoto and Larry Kaushiku of Green Buffaloes while the newly-crowned 2015 Knockout Cup champions, Nkwazi have contributed William Mukuka and Laston Mukosa to the team.