154 schools to participate at Cottco rugby festival

getting bigger and there will be new players coming from the rural and high-density areas.
The seven new teams to the festival are Mavhudzi Rusape(Under-19), Cheziya Gokwe(Under-16), Njelele Gokwe (Under-16), Presbyterian Mhondoro (Under-19) Presbyterian Mhondoro(Under-16), Tongwe Gokwe (Under-16), St Faith Rusape (Under-16).
Also featuring at the festival are foreign teams — Sarel Cilliers High School Under-19, St Martins’ Under-19 from South Africa and the Botswana Under-19. The festival will also have cultural programmes where a number of individuals and groups will showcase their talents in visual and performing of arts.
In order to develop the sport at grassroots level across the gender divide, the festival has taken a giant step by incorporating schoolgirl teams into the programme.
The girls’ teams will each play three games, which will be shortened to 12 minutes per half.
This year’s festival has 12 girls’ teams — Roosevelt Girls High, Lord Marlvern, Hartfield Girls, Mbare high, Mufakose 1, Morgan Girls, Zengeza High, Tafara 1, Sobukhazi, Eaglesvale High, Girls High and George Stark Secondary.
Sebastian Garikai, the festival director, said all was now set for the festival.
“Everything is in place for the festival and this year we are going to work with some journalists who will help young people from different schools to write some newsletters.” said Garikai.
Some of the teams who will battle it out are Gateway, Goromonzi, Hillcrest, Milton, Eaglesvale, Trust Academy, Mutoko, Falcon, Heritage, Watershed, Allan Wilson, Chinhoyi, Murehwa, Peterhouse, Victoria High, Marondera, Plumtree, Kyle, Gifford, St Johns, St George’s, Hellenic, Ellis Robins, St Johns’ Chikwaka, Seke 1, Kwekwe, Hippo Valley and Prince Edward.