Bulawayo shows up as Hartfield comes alive again

BULAWAYO did not just host rugby again on Saturday.

It showed exactly what Hartsfield still means.

Seven years after Zimbabwe last brought an international Test to the city’s spiritual rugby ground, thousands poured into Hartsfield and turned the Sables’ 17-7 Battle of Zambezi win over Zambia into something bigger than a result.

This was not only about Pieter Benade’s unbeaten side stretching its run.

This was Bulawayo reclaiming a piece of itself.

Green and white flooded the old venue. The noise returned. So did the emotion.

For a city that has long carried Hartsfield’s legacy with pride, this felt like more than a fixture. It felt like preservation.

Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board chairperson Carrington Busili knew exactly what the crowd meant.
“A day like this was special for Bulawayo, it’s not just a game of rugby or folks coming out to have a good time. It’s an issue of preservation of heritage, Hartsfield is the home of rugby and we are grateful for the Sables for coming back home, to where the heritage of rugby is.

“It was about bringing back the rich heritage of rugby in Bulawayo.

“I put a post on Facebook to say Bulawayo, I need you to come out. I was asking for 4 000 people and they did more.

“Well done Bulawayo, thank you so much for coming out, we have preserved the heritage and we will continue to build on it. This is a ground where the All Blacks lost, that’s a piece of history we need to continue building on and preserving.

“It was a tight game today, but at least the guys brought it home, they stepped up. Bulawayo came out, it was great to see, well done to the city, I am proud of you.”

And the city answered.
From the terraces to the touchlines, Hartsfield looked alive again, a reminder that while international rugby may have been away, Bulawayo’s appetite never disappeared.

Even Bulawayo City Council Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu acknowledged what the occasion represented.

“We are very much happy to have had the Sables play at Hartsfield again. It was a good match and the Sables played well, although there is room for improvement. Hopefully, we shall continue hosting international matches here but there must be some improvements made at the stadium.”

On the field, Zimbabwe completed the Battle of Zambezi double after last week’s 41-31 first-leg win at Harare Sports Club.

But off it, Saturday may have delivered something just as important.

Belief that Hartsfield still belongs on the big stage.
Sables captain Hilton Mudariki, who made a big impact off the bench, understood the weight of it.

“This is the spiritual home of Zimbabwe rugby. For us to come out here and play, and see the crowd turn out like this, supporting the Sables, there is nothing more special.

“I am truly grateful for the people of Bulawayo for coming out and supporting us and being on our side. We truly appreciate and wish we have more games coming to Bulawayo, our spiritual home.”

The win pushed Zimbabwe’s unbeaten run to 15 Tests, a stretch that includes back-to-back Africa Cup crowns.

That streak began against the same Zambian side in Harare in May last year.

But this one felt different.

Because while the Sables protected their winning culture, Bulawayo reminded Zimbabwean rugby that Hartsfield is not just an old ground, it is heritage.