Online Reporter
In five months’ time, Zimbabwe’s senior men’s rugby team — the Sables — will plunge into action for a massive competition whose endgame could be a huge change in fortunes for the domestic game.
Zimbabwe will be among eight teams that will converge in Kampala, Uganda, from July 20 to 28 for the 2025 edition of the Rugby Africa Cup.
The Sables are the defending champions, having surprised many, including themselves, last year when they claimed the silverware.
They will thus begin the tournament as the top seeds and will headline their draw bracket which also includes Morocco, Kenya and the hosts Uganda.
Zimbabwe’s nemesis Namibia, Senegal, Algeria and Cote d’Ivoire are in the opposing bracket.
The Sables kick off the Africa Cup campaign with a match against Morocco, with the winner facing victors of the match between hosts Uganda and Kenya.
Unlike last year when Zimbabwe coach Piet Benade led his Sables to just African glory by winning the cup, there is an even bigger incentive and reward that comes with winning this year’s Africa Cup.
This is because the competition is a culmination of the long road to the 2027 Rugby World Cup qualification which started last year.
According the programme laid out by the continental body — Rugby Africa — the upcoming competition, set to be held in Uganda, serves as a two-year qualification tournament for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup, organised by World Rugby and scheduled for Australia.
Zimbabwe have not been to the World Cup jamboree since 1991 when playing at the showcase was by invitation.
Generations of Sables have since come and gone but have failed to cross the line.
On the occasions that the Sables have come close they found Namibia standing in the way.
There are high hopes that 2025 could yet again be the Sables year.
This is on the back of their 2024 Africa Cup during which they posted a rare win over Namibia and eliminated them in the semi-final.
We, however, believe that for the Sables to repeat that feat, this year, they need the whole nation’s support.
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) may be the rugby mother body but we believe that the competition in Uganda in July has assumed a bigger national status for the country’s sport.
The World Cup is the ultimate competition in any discipline.
Qualification for such tournaments also reaps financial and huge career rewards for the players.
Zimbabwe has many of its nationals dotted around the world and, refreshingly, a very good number of them have put their hands up for availability for selection.
It means the ZRU will need financial resources to fly in the players from their different bases for training camps.
Coach Benade has reportedly drawn a programme in the build-up to Uganda in July and both private and public sectors should play their roles to make this national cause a success.
Our Sables have the pedigree and it calls on the nation to help them off the field to achieve the goal.
It would boost Zimbabwe’s pride to have the country’s flag being among those that will be paraded in Australia in 2027.
Benade can only take his squad to the High Performance Centres and to play some high profile warm up matches when adequate resources are availed and on time.
Some of the corporate sponsors in this country are notorious for only coming on board when a sporting team has made it to a major competition, but we believe the biggest support is needed during that long and arduous journey to qualification.
Individuals with a capacity to assist should not shy away and join the band of arm chair critics without playing their part.
The ZRU have done well to retain a Sables Trust, a commercial vehicle through which resources are mobilised.
That Trust needs to be assisted so that Benade and his players do not have to worry about off field challenges related to welfare, travel and accommodation among others.
We believe that players, like all athletes should be prioritised in terms of incentives, remuneration and other requirements that can help make Zimbabwe’s quest for 2027 World Cup qualification a huge success.
Investment in the Sables 2027 World Cup bid, is investing in the future of the game.
This is because a host of the positive spin-offs will filter down to the grassroots, the schools, academies and clubs.
Zimbabwe is yearning for a vibrant national league which is key for the sustenance and visibility of rugby in the country.
The Sables showed what they can do in last year’s Africa Cup.
They have the capacity to repeat that and inspire the Junior Sables who are also chasing glory in their respective age group via the Barthes Trophy and their task is not insurmountable.
What the Sables need is a whole nation’s support and they could reward Zimbabwe with a place at the World Cup.
It can be done!
