adminBULAWAYO clubs will this month compete only in Sevens rugby as they prepare for the national Summer Series next month.
Tapiwa Mangezi, the Matabeleland Rugby Football Board chairman said the three big clubs in the city, Matabeleland Busters, Old Miltonians as well as Western Panthers would be joined by Bulldogs and other developmental sides for the month long competition, which started yesterday at Hartsfield Rugby Ground and ends at the end of the month.
The aim of the tournament, according to Mangezi, was to prepare the Bulawayo players for the Summer Series, which itself would be used by national sevens rugby team coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba to choose a Cheetahs squad which will represent the country in the Confederation of African Rugby Africa Cup Sevens in Harare at the end of next month.
“Bulawayo clubs will play in a Sevens tournament from this weekend up to the end of October. We are going to wait for the Sevens rugby committee to inform us on how many teams we send for the Summer Series. The MRFB is going to donate a trophy, we are also going to have awards for the player of the tournament and the player who scores the most tries,’’ said Mangezi.
On the benefits to rugby of Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches being played at Hartsfield Rugby Ground, Mangezi said they were making money as opposed to the past where they had little sources of income. Mangezi revealed that they were looking at re-doing the playing turf on both pitches at the end of the year.
derick.khumalo