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WINDS of change are certainly sweeping at the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) with the new management led by former national team winger Aaron Jani virtually moving mountains to turn around a sport that was staggering into the darkness.
Since his election on December 2, at an extraordinary general meeting at Prince Edward School, Jani hit the ground running with his executive moving to tackle the over $200 000 deficit they inherited from the Nyararai Sibanda-leadership that was booted out following Government intervention to restore order in a game that was crying out for corporate governance.
In just four months at the helm of the ZRU, the same union that could not even afford a lodge in Harare to accommodate a visiting Zambian national team is enjoying the kind of goodwill that has not only been rare in rugby, but many of the 53 national sporting associations in the country.
The new ZRU leadership, realising the need to go on a massive campaign to lure sponsors and partners while at the same time focusing on their mandate to administer and develop rugby, immediately set up a Sables Trust — a committee that would cater for the senior national team’s requirements.
This was done with one eye firmly fixed on possible qualification for the 2019 World Cup in Japan, which in itself could reap massive financial benefits that come with being part of the global rugby showcase.
The Sables Trust, a special purpose vehicle tasked with sourcing for sponsorship and managing the welfare of the national team, including its accommodation and transport requirements, is chaired by prominent Harare Lawyer Gerald Mlotshwa and has in its ranks former Zimbabwe captain Kennedy Tsimba.
Refreshingly, for the ZRU, the Sables Trust in that short period has managed to secure deals worth over $1,5 million for the senior team and there have been more pledges that have been made by various companies.
Mlotshwa and his committee have secured funding from such local and international companies like Tian Law, Zimoco, Kia Motors, Portnet, Canterbury Sports and Croco Motors while mining giants Zerttew Resources lead the way as the Sables headline sponsor after splashing $1 million.
Jani, capped 30 times by the Sables, realised the need to have a top coach for the national team and lured highly-rated former Springboks coach Peter De Villiers.
They recently added Kisset Chirengende, a sports marketing expert who was has successfully organised the Blue Bulls Tour of Zimbabwe and who enjoys warm relations with local and foreign-based players alike, as the team manager.
But as his leadership basks in the glory of the sponsors that have been coming their way, thanks to the stability they have also brought into the administrative corridors of the ZRU, Jani and his management must now do more to improve the competiveness of the domestic leagues.
One of the biggest challenges that has been confronting the ZRU is the need to address the revival of the national league and streamline schools’ competitions as well as creating a viable Under-21 league and the starting point could be to create a two-tier league system to ensure all teams are fairly competitive.
The 47-year-old Harare businessman must also ensure they work with the same enthusiasm and energy for the national Sevens side — the Cheetahs — who will be representing Zimbabwe at the Rugby Sevens World Cup in the United States in July.
We, however, take cognisance of the fact that the new president is having to work within a more constrained budget after World Rugby cut its grant from $90 000 after describing the ZRU as ‘‘a risky investment’’ due to its lack of corporate governance under Sibanda.
Government would also have to play their role especially in assisting the ZRU achieve their goals of having Zimbabwe well represented at the World Cup stages both on the Sevens and XVs front.
That the ZRU have managed to land another deal to have a television channel for the Sables should also be a lesson to other sporting associations on what good corporate governance and stability can yield.
With such a high-profile coach like de Villiers in their ranks, Zimbabwe will no doubt fall under the spotlight when the Sables begin their Word Cup qualification bid in June.
But, for now, Jani and his colleagues in the executive, who include Martin Shone and Losson Mtongwiza, deserve to be commended for the way they have gone about reviving Zimbabwean rugby.
Hopefully, other sporting organisations in the country are watching all this.
Online Reporter