Division I News.

It’s that time of the season again as the big three prepare to face each other off in the next three weeks. The first match will played between the Kamikazi Samurais and Dreams. Last season Dreams were able to shut out any Kamikazi threat beating them in both previous encounters:

Season 9:
Round 6: Dreams 19 17 K. Samurais
Round 13: K.Samurais 19 27 Dreams

However these results are fading into the past, this is Season 10 can DR pull out some highly anticipated surprises and try and make sure Dreams don’t add another Div I gold trophy to their cabinet.
With the departure of Tana Ralfe questions will be asked at line-out time and will the Samurais forwards still be able to work as an effective unit. More so, can eighteen year old Scott Jubber take the pressure of being opposed by the nation’s top man Guy van der Merwe?

BRZimNews went to find out what was weighing the minds of these two manages in the build up to the weekends encounter.

BRZimNews : After what could be said was the best season in the clubs history, where your boys found themselves lifting the first Div I title. Now a new season, new log, new rivalry, I quote the news representatives of Dreams RFC "this season looks like it will be much tougher for the Dreams boys as the element of surprise of last season has vanished" With that said how do you see this game going, more importantly the rest of the season?

Phibeon : Playing against DR is always difficult. Last season I won both matches in the league by narrow margins. However he utterly demolished my team in the Cup. My team has also gotten old since then and some players are no longer as good as they once were. I will be happy to win irrespective of margin but I know it will be difficult especially with DR already out of cup. As for rest of season it’s still early days. By the halfway stage it will become much clearer.

BRZimNews : Do you think you can achieve your aims of a top two league finish and a semi final place in the cup, again i quote News representatives from Dreams RFC "Teams will seek to earn maximum points against Dreams by fielding their best XV" with this in mind do are these aims a hope or a must do?

Phibeon : My aims are achievable. I would say they are more of a must do so as to ensure that there is no that rapid decline in the fortunes of the club. Mind you we do not have the budgets of Chuckers and Samurais. We always have to try and balance the books. In our case the borrowings we have will continue to hinder progress. As such prize money from Cup and league will greatly help us.

Whatever the outcome to the weekend’s game, one thing is certain, Phibeon and his boys will continue to pose a threat to the nation’s top. There goals will no doubt be met, last season is a perfect example of just how tough these Dreams men are.
Now we move swiftly to the Samurais box to find out DR’s views and thought leading to tomorrow’s game, more importantly if has found a suitable replacement for Ralfe.

BRZimNews : DR, two disappointing losses last season against Dreams. Is it in the Kamikazi Samurais to take down the Div I champs this time around?

DR First loss was kind of expected. I had Dreams in the Cup the Wednesday after the League game. So I played a second string squad. But yes, dissapointing none the less. I think the right tactics and squad selection can make any opponent vulnerable to a loss. We'll just have to see what happens tomorrow.

BRZimNews : Of course the Samurais forwards won’t be as strong without the"the Giant" that is Tana Ralfe, it has been noted in the past few matches young Christopher Locksmith has entered the line, do the men in the top office see Locksmith as a suitable replacement?

DR Locksmith is a young player with a lot of potential. He can turn out to be a great player eventually but his current stats do make him atleast suitable to the position. It's hard to replace a player like Ralfe, but Christopher does seem to be coping well every game and the coaches give him that little bit of extra attention.

BRZimNews : Finally, where do you see this match going?


DR I think it's going to be an interesting encounter. Needless to say it's going to be tight. I look forward to the game tomorrow.

We all look forward to tomorrow’s game, it definitely isn’t one to miss:

Dreams Vs Samurais (2:35pm sat)

With the samurais out of the at such an early stage curtsey to the powerhouse (Thinus 15) could well make life a little tougher for the big boys in Div I:

Div I Clubroom:

Phibeon : 3 weeks of pain. Winning at least one game will be an achievement for me this season. With DR already out of cup this had complicated matters now.

Squeaks : I want to take the league this season, but the cup is going to get priority, but as Phibeon said DR that is out of the cup does make things so much more difficult in the league.

Already things have heated up, over the next three weeks we will find out who stands top of Div I and a week from that witness the crowning of the Zimbabwean cup champion, will it be two in a row for the Chuckers or does Thinus plan on ruining their party?

BRZimNews.