adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
FORMER Sables captain Reginald Joseph Nield, who died in the United States of America two weeks ago, is expected to be laid to rest today. Nield made his Sables debut in 1966 when he was 31-years-old and captained the Sables only in his second game. According to his daughter Jeanine Nield-Pearson, Nield’s funeral service is scheduled to take place at the Prince Edward School chapel at 10am followed by burial at Greendale Cemetery.
Although Nield played for the Sables during the Rhodesia era between 1966 and 1971, he still had interest in developing the game as he coached Old Hararians in the late 1980’s and passed on the legacy to his grandsons who include Preston Bryant who played for the Young Sables a few years ago before he was snatched by the Blitsbokke of South Africa.
But Preston was not the only one who inherited the rugby playing legacy from his grandfather as there are a number of others who went on to represent Zimbabwe, largely at the junior level.
Neild was also father-in-law to former Sables forward, captain and coach Alex Nicholls whose sons Ben also went on to represent Zimbabwe Under-18 at the Craven Week and Junior World Championships in 2004 and Daniel who represented Zimbabwe at the Craven Week and Junior World Championship in 2006 and 2007 and Joseph who also played at the Craven Week festival in five years ago.
There is also the duo Reginald Bryant who played for the Zimbabwe Under-18 Craven Week side in 2007, Preston Bryant who was captain of the 2012 Craven Week side before he represented Zimbabwe in the Junior Africa Cup the same year.
Preston — who has since opted to play for USA having been enrolled in their Sevens academy believes he would not have achieved all these steps in his playing life were it not for his grandfather who stood by him and mentored him in being a tough rugby player.
Online Reporter