Kawonza lands in top committee

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Rugby Referees chairperson Abigail Kawonza has been appointed to the rugby national technical committee that is responsible for assessing qualifications of coaches, upskilling of coaches, upholding of international coaching standards and to assist and advise the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) executive with all matters technical.

The committee, which is made up of established former national team players, coaches and officials, is chaired by former Sables, Craven Week coach Godwin Murambiwa.

“The Zimbabwe Rugby Union technical Committee would like to formally announce the appointment of Abigail Kawonza into the national technical committee which is responsible for assessing the qualifications of coaches, upskilling of coaches, upholding of the international coaching standards and to assist and advise the ZRU executive with all matters technical.

The technical committee is made up of established former national team players coaches and officials,” said ZRU in a statement.

The technical committee is made up of Gordon Chiromo, committee member responsible for all foreign-based players, Bright Chivandire (Sables), Dave Nash (works with head in charge of Schools), Tungamirai Mashungu, who is responsible for schools rugby, Trouble Burukai (ZRU statistician and responsible for womens sevens), Kawonza (responsible for the Under-20) and Gerald Chipumha (Cheetahs).

The ZRU technical committee’s mandate is to improve the technical aspects of the game through continuous training, analysis and evaluation of the coaching systems and styles of play.

Since the start of the Paramount Garments Under-20 league and the Nedbank Zimbabwe Challenge Cup, the technical committee has been reviewing games and assessing the technical needs of the teams and coaches, said ZRU.

It said major areas that have been identified as needing urgent attention are the set pieces. The technical committee held coaching sessions with Harare Sports Club rugby team, which saw them going through coaching sessions and also emphasizing on set pieces.

Line-out coach and former Sables skipper, who is the Under-20 assistant coach Costa Dinha, held a session with the Harare Sports Club team and was assisted by former national team player Max Madzima, who is a World Rugby Level 3 coach.

“As the coaches were helping out Harare Sports Club, they also were being assessed as a way of giving them feedback on their coaching methodologies and identifying needs gaps if any.

The programme will be rolled out across all clubs, schools and provinces to ensure a standardised approach to coaching at all levels,” said ZRU.