Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE Under-20 rugby coach Sean De Souza is set to announce his squad for the Abu Dhabi World Schools Festival this afternoon as preparations for the country’s debut appearance at the Asian jamboree gather momentum.
Formerly known as the World Schools Festival, the tournament was launched in 2018 in Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa, as a festival of global schools’ rugby with 20 teams representing 12 countries and over 800 players.
The following year the festival moved to Stellenbosch after which the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the following year saw the opportunity to revise and reboot, which in turn saw the festival moved to Thailand to create a neutral venue opportunity for all teams.
The format changed with the festival moved to December in order to give both Northern and Southern Hemisphere schools a better window in which to participate.
The new Abu Dhabi World Schools was then christened in 2024 after which cricket, hockey and netball were incorporated into the programme.
This year’s edition is slated for December 12-22 with Zimbabwe expected to make their debut.
“Our preparation window has been short, but the boys have responded exceptionally well,” said De Souza.
“Physically, we have pushed hard to get them to the required intensity and they have embraced that challenge. Mentally, we have focused on clarity, composure, and belief.
“When you wear the Zimbabwe badge, you carry responsibility, so our mindset has been about embracing pressure and not fearing it.
“We are going to Abu Dhabi prepared to compete, to express ourselves, and to grow as a group,” he said.
De Souza has spent the last couple of weeks finalising his squad where he also intends to carry a High-Performance team.
“Selection is always about balance and identity.
“We looked at players who can thrive in our system with emphasis on high work rate, discipline, resilience, and game intelligence.
“We wanted combinations that complement each other, leaders who can lift the group, and youngsters with the character to handle this level of rugby.
“Ultimately, every player selected earned their spot through consistency, attitude, and commitment.
“Every High-Performance squad member clearly understands the positional selection criteria which literally makes the team select with a positional ranking chart that guides you,” he said.
De Souza is set to announce the teams today — the Junior Sables and a High-Performance side who will take part in the main cup competition and schools sections respectively.
Roughly eight teams are set to take part in the main tournament with game days slated for December 14, 16 and 18 after which the finals will be played two days later.
For De Souza, it is all about the Junior Sables’ 2026 programmes as he has chosen to incorporate this tour into his preparations.
“International tournaments like this are critical for our growth,” he said.
“The format simulates the Junior World Trophy but with a shorter turnaround time.
“They expose our players to elite standards like speed, physicality and decision-making, all of which you simply can’t replicate at home. “For Zimbabwean rugby, these opportunities help us build belief, credibility, and a stronger development pathway.
“The more our players compete globally, the more confident and capable they become.
“This will lay the foundation for sustainable progress across all our national teams.
“Our long-term vision is to create a strong, consistent pipeline of talent that can compete at the highest levels.
“And exposure like this contributes directly to that. We want our players to gain experience that accelerates their rugby maturity, opens doors for professional pathways, and strengthens our national structures,” added De Souza.
