Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
Zimbabwe’s rugby team are just 80 minutes away from history and skipper Hilton Mudariki is making no bones about what’s at stake.
In what could be the biggest game of their careers, the Sables face long-time nemesis Namibia in Saturday’s Rugby Africa Cup final, with a golden ticket to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia hanging in the balance.
For Mudariki and his squad, this isn’t just a match, it’s a mission. And the message from the captain is clear: “We’re doing this for Zimbabwe.”
“Saturday is not only about the team,” said a visibly fired-up Mudariki ahead of the showdown at Mandela National Stadium. “It’s about the 15-plus million people backing us. Some families are literally in Uganda to support us, and more are flying in. There’s pressure, of course, but that’s the nature of a final. Both teams want it badly, and only one will get the prize.”
The Sables returned to training this week full of energy and purpose after their gritty 29-23 semi-final win over Kenya. With the dust now settled, their eyes are locked on the final frontier — and they’re leaving nothing to chance.
Training sessions have been intense, focused, and tactical, all aimed at executing their game plan with precision and firepower.
“We are focusing on ourselves,” said Mudariki. “It’s a final, and there are no excuses. We have to stay disciplined and clinical. The team is gelling well, and we’re fixing the errors from the semis.”
This isn’t just about a trophy — it’s about avoiding the gruelling and uncertain road of the Repêchage tournament. The loser of Saturday’s clash will be forced to take a long, winding route through the Africa/Asia playoff and then into the high-stakes Repêchage event in the UAE, where only one team out of four survives. For Zimbabwe, that route is not an option. The mission is clear: win now or risk being swallowed by the system.
Standing in their way is a familiar ghost from the past. Namibia, who have qualified for the last seven Rugby World Cups — often at Zimbabwe’s expense — remain a daunting opponent. The stats are sobering: 30 wins for Namibia out of 34 encounters. But last year, something shifted. The Sables stunned their neighbours with a dominant 32-10 victory to lift the Rugby Africa Cup, their first win over Namibia since 2012. It was a seismic moment for Zimbabwean rugby — one that Mudariki says injected belief into the squad, but hasn’t made them complacent.
“That result reminded us that we can compete at this level,” said Mudariki. “But this is a new game, a new battle. We have to earn it all over again, and we know it’s going to be a war.”
