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WITH the National Rugby League season over, focus turns to the Summer Sevens Series with Bulawayo clubs promising to redeem lost pride in the forthcoming competition.According to the National Rugby League chairman Noddy Kanyangarara, the Summer Sevens Series will start at the end of the month.
“Our National Rugby League is over and I think it was a very competitive one. We are grateful to our sponsors Lion Lager who we hope will return next season following the expiry of the contract we had with them. Right now I think the clubs will have a two or three week break before the Summer Sevens Series resumes. The Sevens league should start at the end of the month,” Kanyangarara said.
Old Hararians won the NRL title after beating Old Georgians in the final that was played at the weekend. Matabeleland Warriors were the only Southern Region representatives at the last stages of the competition but lost to Harare Sports Club in the third place play-off.
Former Sables star and Matabeleland Warriors coach Reuben Kumpasa challenged Bulawayo’s representatives to rise to the occasion during the Summer Sevens Series.
He said the Matabeleland Rugby Football Board would soon meet to decide who to send for the Summer Sevens Series.
“In the past MRFB board used to send three select sides with players taken from all the tiers of rugby so that even players who have been playing in the National B-League get to rub shoulders with the best. This was done so as to give everyone a chance to travel for the games.
Another factor that made us to send select sides was to have at least two strong teams that would manage to stand the heat against the Harare clubs. Old Georgians have a number of players who are members of the national team and if we send weaker sides we are bound to be thoroughly beaten.
“The Summer Sevens Series is an opportunity for our players to redeem lost pride after failing to do well in the NRL by winning the Sevens competition,” said Kumpasa.
The Bulawayo select is likely to be drawn from Matabeleland Warriors, Bulldogs, Old Miltonians and Western Panthers. Old Miltonians’ Theo Weale said they would start training for the Summer Sevens Series soon. “Once we know about the dates for the tournament we are going to start our preparations.
Obviously, since the guys have been out of action for some time we have to organise some training matches so that we brush off the dust we have accumulated”.
Online Reporter