High-tech fitness tests for Cheetahs
by Fanuel Viriri The Zimbabwe Standard
THE short-listed Zimbabwe Sevens squad will undergo fitness tests as part of the selection process for the 2006/07 IRB Sevens World Series set for Dubai and South Africa.
The Cheetahs will first battle to prise the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens Trophy from England at the Exiles Ground from 1-2 December, before travelling to South Africa’s Garden Route and George, to challenge holders Fiji.
Cheetahs’coach Liam Middleton, in his pre-campaign report, said all the players who are in the national and academy squads will have to undergo fitness tests four times a year. The results will form part of a selection process for training camps.
“All players have recently submitted their first set of fitness test results, which include strength-testing and aerobic-running tests. I’m really pleased to see John Ewing’s (he is making a comeback) results and it looks like he will feature in the squad again; his results show him to be very fit and we will benefit from his experience on the field. The beauty of fitness testing is that it keeps the players on their toes and as with all Zimbabwe Sevens rugby players, they are very competitive. There are minimum standards to be met,” Middleton said.
He added hydrotherapy (a method of treating diseases or injuries through swim or water exercises), should become part of the players’ lives.
Zimbabwe have been drawn in Pool B alongside France and Scotland in the Dubai series. After Dubai the Cheetahs will the following weekend travel to George, South Africa, for the Emirates Airline South Africa Sevens, where Fiji will be looking to retain the title they won last year.
Waisale Serevi’s side will open their campaign against Canada, before squaring off with Zimbabwe and Samoa to round off the pool stages. The 19-member Zimbabwe squad goes into camp on 13 November before being trimmed to 12 players at the end of the month.