adminPaul Munyuki Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE Rugby Union chief executive Colleen de Jong torched another storm in the domestic game yesterday when she tried to disrupt the Sables training camp after unsuccessfully ordering the senior national team to train from their homes.
The Sables have been in camp since Sunday having three training sessions per day as part of their build up to their Africa Cup opener against Kenya on Saturday at Prince Edward School’s Jubilee Field.
Things almost changed yesterday for the Sables upon her return from Tunisia where she was on official Rugby Africa business as she was taking part in the continental executive committee meeting.
De Jong directed that players should move out of camp and operate from their homes.
It had to take the intervention of ZRU president John Falkenberg to save the situation but not before she had also cancelled lunch for both the players and technical members in camp.
“It’s so unfortunate that Colleen has the guts of picking up her phone, call the camp venue and tell them to cancel lunch for the players. She wanted everyone out of camp her justification being that Zimbabwe has over the past years been playing and at one stage won the Africa Cup without the players camping.
“There was a heated argument between Falkenberg and de Jong before the Union resident reminded her that she was just an employee who like any other member of the secretariat reports to him as the head of the sport in Zimbabwe,” said a source
The Sables are camped at the Zesa National Training Institute in Belvedere, a few kilometres from Old Hararians Sports Club where they have been training since Monday.
Things had been going on well for the Sables in her absence, but her return to Zimbabwe was met by unpleasant behaviour.
Over the last four or so years, the Sables have not been going into camp and this, to de Jong was a good enough reason that the national team should not have gone into camp as she insisted they should train from their homes.
Sources close to Sables told our Harare Bureau yesterday that upon hearing that de Jong had ordered for the cancellation of their afternoon meal, the players and technical crew were prepared to foot the bill for their own meals.
“Both the players and the technical team that are in camp would not want to let the nation down because of one person who feels that we don’t deserve to live, eat and play together for the sake of team building during this period.
“It’s a good thing that the president (Falkenberg) allowed us into camp because he knows the importance of players living at the same place prior to national assignments. Mind you they’re not doing this just for their own sake but that of the country.
“But now if we have someone who doesn’t have the interests of the team, of the sport and of the country at heart then we’re always going to be moving around in circles.
“Of course, the Sables have not been in camp for the last four years but that is no excuse of us not going into camp this year, maybe lack of camping over the years is what has been killing the game and a factor in us not making it for the World Cup last year,” said the source.
This is not the first time de Jong has had a battle with Falkenberg — the same man who controversially appointed her as the Union’s vice president a few years ago before she resigned due to public pressure.
However, the Sables appeared unmoved during yesterday’s mid morning training session as they went ahead with their usual business at Old Hararians Sports Club.
Winger Stephan “Stavo” Hunduza watched the yesterday’s training sessions from the touch line after suffering fever-like symptoms but is expected back on the park today while Taddy Whata was away to write college exams.
Their opponents are expected in the country today as they will have a two day period to get used to the local conditions before their clash against the Sables.
Online Reporter