Mandenge for Sharks attachment

Mandenge is expected to leave today for Sharks in KwaZulu Natal following a deal that was brokered by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union as they try to boost the skills of the coaches in the national team.
First to travel to South Africa was Sables head coach Brendan Dawson who had a stint in Stellenbosch at a coaches’ workshop that was facilitated and funded by the Confederation of Africa Rugby.
Yesterday Mandenge said he was happy to go and learn in a professional set-up.
“I will be leaving tomorrow (today) and I am happy this has finally happened having asked for it last year and I will be there for ten days, hoping that I will learn as much as possible in the given time.
“It is always good to learn in a different environment, where there are possibly more experienced coaches and the set-up allows you to take part in a whole lot of different things.
“I guess this is good for Zimbabwean rugby as well so that when I come back from the course I will also pass down the knowledge,” said Mandenge.
Mandenge is also involved with Harare Sports Club where he is the head coach and is also in charge of the Eaglesvale school rugby side, having also coached the Zimbabwe Schools’ Sevens side.
The former University of Zimbabwe coach, however, was supposed to have stayed for three weeks in South Africa but his stay there has been cut short due to financial constraints.
“I was supposed to stay in South Africa for three weeks but the fact that the Zimbabwe Rugby Union were not able to fund the trip and I had to get alternative sponsorship has seen me raise only enough to stay at Sharks for 10 days.
“Harare Sports Club and Eaglesvale School have organised my accommodation and transport for the trip together with Themba Sibanda (former ZRU president) and I would like to thank them for the support and efforts in trying to see rugby move forward,” said Mandenge.
He said he would look at every technical aspects from the forwards, backline, kicking, warm-up and general preparations of the team in the build up to a game.
“I have to learn as much as I can in the few days that I will be there be it kicking, conditioning, warm-up and everything else that has something to do with the game.
“It is good that this has come at the right time because we are playing in the Africa Cup this year, we also have the Victoria Cup, our game is on the rise and we have to make sure it continues on an upward trend,” added Mandenge.
Sables’ head of technical, Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa, acknowledged the help that Mandenge received adding that the Union was not able to take care of the travel and accommodation expenses.
“I am happy that the well wishers came to help in a noble cause and rescue Cyprian Mandenge. We have always wanted our coaches to go for up-skilling courses. “We are also lucky that the first course that was held recently attended by Dawson was an International Rugby Board initiative that was funded by the Confederation of Africa Rugby.
“The importance of such events is that our coaches get to be more knowledgeable and in return this filters down to our players and we get to be more competitive as well,” said the former Sables coach.