adminNgoni Dapira
21-YEAR-OLD Ngoni Chibuwe exuded some touch of class in a cameo appearance in the pre-season friendly match between Mutare Sports Club and Airforce which saw the hosts trample over the visiting Harare side 69-12.
In an interview, the Mutare born professional rugby player Chibuwe, who is currently playing for South Africa’s Sharks Sevens rugby side, called for professionalisation of rugby to develop the sport further, citing that the sport has immense potential to break through internationally given its weighty support.
Chibuwe, who was also part of the Sables squad that competed at the Hong Kong Cup of Nations tournament held last month, had his first cap for the senior national side.
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Chibuwe, however, said failure at the tournament was not due to lack of talent in the country but lack of professionalism and a well oiled system to nurture and support local talent.
“It was my first cap for the senior national side and I experienced that more can be achieved if we professionalised and more support channeled towards rugby. There is a lot of talent in the diaspora and locally being wasted away because most people think of careers and employment first. If incentives are given to players more fruitful results will come,” said Chibuwe.
Former Sables star and versatile utility back Alexander Ndangana, who also graced the weekend match and played briefly for the Msc Shumbas, shared the same sentiments.
Ndangana, who also hails from Mutare, apart from playing for the Sables, he also played for several clubs among them South African clubs Border Bulldogs and Boland and also had a stint in the German rugby Bundesliga.
The 29-year old Ndangana who was also the 2004 Junior Sportsman of the Year runner-up said like several notable players of his time many had hung their boots because of failure to professionalise the sport and recognize its true potential in the country.
“I decided to eventually end my rugby career after I got tired of the system which failed to take our rugby to the next level. The talent is there in abundance but the Zimbabwe Rugby Union is failing to steer the country’s rugby further.
“There are so many instances that I remember when we could have excelled in international tournaments but lack of incentives put off players,” said Ndangana.
He added that rugby was very physical and required special dietary requirements that often players had to provide for themselves unlike in South Africa or other nations that have professionalised administering the sport.
Online Reporter