adminthe weekend.
Some are urging the Zimbabwe Rugby Union to do more and improve the game at junior level.
The side is dominated by players from St George’s College, who have six, while Peterhouse and St John’s College each have five players.
Falcon and Midlands Christian College have two players each and Mutare’s Hillcrest College and Prince Edward have one each.
Some of the players that had made it into the provincial selection teams failed to make it for the final leg of the selection process held in Esigodini at Falcon College as they could not afford the camping fees.
While Falcon were hosting the trials, it had been agreed that players were to pay for their food and accommodation at the school.
It meant that those who were were talented enough to make it into the sides but didn’t have the financial support to foot the fees for camping and food, lost out.
Old Hararians and Gateway coach, Dereck Chiwara, feels that there are areas where the ZRU should intervene if there is to be a level playing ground in the selection of players for the national teams.
“Falcon did what they could to host the trials but it was not upon them to pay for the players’ food and that is where the ZRU and provincial boards should come in with the financial resources and support such initiatives all the way down to the most junior side.
“These games should benefit the kids and the financial background of the players should not have a (negative) impact on whether or not they are going to make it for the side,” said the former Harare Sports Club official.
While there have been questions over the dominance by mainly St George’s College and St John’s College players in this year’s squad, Chiwara believes there are a lot of factors that come in when a coach or selection panel are choosing a team for a tournament.
“Selection of players is not just about which schools have made it, but it also involves the coaches’ strategies, goals and his vision because the national team is not really where we are to teach basics, those should come from schools.
“The coach might not have enough time with the players to coach those basics in the time he is going to be with them till they leave for the festival.
“But I also feel that selection should not be an overnight process where we select over one weekend but I feel that we should start towards the end of the schools’ season and assess players for the nest year.
“More games are needed if we are to have better quality players because nothing beats experience,” said Chiwara.
Churchill Bulldogs’ coach, Geoff Madhake, who is the Harare Province coach, failed to travel with the side to Esigodini due to other commitments.
He feels the selection panel members should not hold office for a long time.
The selecting panel was made up of Falcon College head Reg Querl, who came in as the convenor of selectors, head coach Murambiwa and forwards’ coach Brendon Brider, both from St George’s College, while Midlands Christian College deputy head Tungamirai Mashungu came in as the team manager.
Other members of the selection panel included selectors Scottie Gray from Peterhouse College, Johann Duvenaghe of Lomagundi College and Gordon Chiromo who is a former national team player and ZRU representative.
“I feel that selectors should be rotated so that players are looked at without bias and we need fresh ideas and minds in everything we do and these are some of the things that have to be addressed,” said Madhake.
“I don’t think that the selected squad is a true reflection of Zimbabwean schools rugby because schools like Prince Edward, Churchill and others across the nation are overlooked, unless we are we saying rugby revolves only around those colleges.”
Craven Week Squad
Thabani Mujeni (St George’s College), Bart Zwart (St John’s College), Tapiwa Murangani (Peterhouse) Tafadzwa Kufazvinei (St George’s College), Nicholas Burnett (St John’s College), Ivan Bawden (St George’s College), Daniel Moolman, (Peterhouse), Tinashe Gonese (Hillcrest), Tinashe Gwisai (Midlands Christian College), Rukudzo Gonah (St John’s College) Jabulani Mutukwa (St George’s College),Munyaradzi Mashaya (St George’s College), Thomas Chadwick (St John’s College),Brandon Boshi (St George’s College), Brendon Mandivenga (Peterhouse), Steven Bhasera (Falcon), Glynn Rorke (St John’s College), Tanaka Chikwezhero (Prince Edward), Philangwezi Mudambanuki (Peterhouse), Andrew Dollar(Peterhouse), Justin Zietsman (Falcon), Tawanda Ngosi (Midlands Christian College).
Coach: Godwin Murambiwa
Manager: Tungamirai Mashungu
Online Reporter