tawandamusarurwa
Deputy Sports Editor
FINANCIAL constraints continue to affect Zimbabwe’s preparations for the Junior World Trophy, which will be held next month.
The Junior Sables — arguably the country’s best sporting team at the moment — are eyeing success on the global stage following their back-to-back triumph in the Barthes Trophy in 2022 and 2023.
Coach Shaun De Souza and his charges have won 11 of their last 12 games, in a commendable run that began last year.
But financial challenges continue to hold them back.
The Junior World Trophy — global youth rugby’s second-tier tournament — is slated for July 15-25 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Eight teams will battle for honours at the tournament at Nyayo National Stadium, with the eventual winner being promoted to the Under-20 Championship scheduled for South Africa in 2024.
The eight teams are Hong Kong, Samoa, Spain, Uruguay, Scotland, Zimbabwe, Canada and hosts Kenya.
De Souza is under no illusions of the tough task that awaits them.
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union have since engaged Government, the corporate world and individuals to support their bid to make the Junior Sables realise their dream.
“Yes, the funds are always an issue,” said De Souza.
“We need funds for camps, training venues and equipment, players’ travelling expenses; we even have to fly players from universities, and a lot of other things.
“It’s actually a list of things that are needed.”
The Junior Sables, he added, would also need to cater for their travel to Nairobi.
“We need to cover our costs to go to Kenya, the team kit, meals and accommodation once there. All those expenses still need to be addressed.
“It is always difficult calling for corporates, but we need their support.” De Souza, who is a firm believer in the notion that “the way you prepare is the way you play”, hopes to get his boys a couple of friendlies against strong sides before departing for Kenya in July.
There were expectations that the team would get a few games against South Africa and Kenya in a tri-series format.
That tri-series would wrap up their preparations while also giving the coach and his technical crew an opportunity to gauge progress before heading for Kenya.
“We did speak to Kenya and South Africa, but, unfortunately, the local sponsors we had tried to engage for that fixture have withdrawn, saying the proposed dates were too close,” he said.
“The funding for that tri-series is quite big, and we have been forced to look for separate dates for those fixtures.
“It remains something of interest for both the game of rugby and tourism in the country, and something we will need to revisit in the future.”
In the meantime, both De Souza and his boys have been forced to go it alone. The team is still continuing its preparations.
“The preparations have been going on well, all things considered. We had a warm-up game against Old Hararians last weekend and have another one against Old Georgians.
“We tried out a few different combinations and have featured completely different squads for each game as a means of giving everyone a run and rest.
“We also hope to travel to Mutare in a few weeks so as to play a game or two against a Manicaland Select side and then round it off with maybe a Bulawayo/Matabeleland fixture. So far, we are in the right direction in terms of the action on the ground . . .”
Online Reporter