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Zimpapers Sports Hub
AS they begin life under new coach Piet Benade, Zimbabwe’s Sables have received a boost in their quest to secure their first Rugby World Cup qualification.
The senior side will face neighbours Zambia in an international friendly at Prince Edward School’s Jubilee field this afternoon (kick-off 4pm).
And on Thursday they got a timely confidence-booster when next-generation financial services platform Mukuru, one of the most recognisable fintech brands on the continent, announced that it is sponsoring the Sables.
Benade will take his Sables to Uganda in July for the first stage of their quest for World Cup qualification.
As part of the deal, Mukuru will brand the Sabes jersey starting with today’s game against Zambia.
According to a statement from Mukuru, they went into bed with the Sables because they “are admired in Zimbabwe and around the continent, known for their attacking style of play, technical acuity and sportsmanship.
“The team, blessed with talent and a rejuvenated system, is confident of its prospects of qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
“Mukuru, which has over 16-million customers in 50 countries, can trace its roots back to Zimbabwe, which remains a crucial and important market for the multinational fintech”.
Brandon Mncube, chief marketing officer at Mukuru, said the sponsorship of the Sables made sense to then as the team displays the same passion and love for the country as Mukuru.
“We are incredibly excited to be sponsoring Zimbabwe’s national rugby team.
“The Sables are eyeing World Cup qualification and with their revitalised systems in place and the formidable talent at their disposal, we wanted to give them the best possible chance of living up to their potential,” he says.
“The Sables embody the same passion that has seen Mukuru grow exponentially across the continent. Just as we are passionately driven to provide relevant and competitive financial services products that delight our customers in Zimbabwe and abroad, one gets a real sense of the confidence in this team — all the way down from administrators, to the coaches and of course, the players.
“Mukuru is backing the Sables to achieve their goal,” Mncube said.
Apart from today’s clash against the Zambians, and the trip to Uganda, the Sables are also lining up another Test with the Netherlands.
The Mukuru deal left Benade enchanted.
“We are delighted that a financial company as big as Mukuru recognised our commitment and passion to deliver the kind of rugby success that Zimbabweans deserve.
“Their sponsorship will go a long way towards enabling our journey to achieve our goal of 2027 World Cup qualification,” Benade said.
As he assumes his Sables duties, Benade also rekindles a relationship that runs deep with his backs’ coach Ricky Chirengende.
Their career paths have often run parrel each other and intertwined a couple of times.
Benade and Chirengende have been on opposite sides of the pitch a few times too, and the end result was a long-lasting friendship being formed.
It is because of all these factors that when Benade made the call to bring his old friend onto his technical team, Chirengende did not hesitate.
“When I got a call from Piet (Benade) to join him on the Sables bench, I did not need to think twice as he is a good friend and we have known each for a very long time,” said Chirengende.
“We coached against each other a couple of times in South Africa when he was at Rondebosch (Boys’ High) while I was at Maritzburg College, and his boys gave us a hiding the last time we met.
“Ever since then, we have been good friends and our journeys are quite similar in that we both left coaching careers in South Africa to come back and help out here,” he said.
Chirengende, also doubles has Zimbabwe senior sevens’ team (the Cheetahs) coach.
He is not the only person that Benade has roped into his technical team as Zimbabwe-born and former Springboks forward Tendai Mtawarira and Gert Smal have been lending a hand.
All four will be in the spotlight when Zimbabwe host on Zambia in a clash that will bring the curtain down on the Mwana Group International Schools Festival.
Zimbabwe and Zambia will also clash at senior women’s level.
Today’s action wraps up what have an exciting fortnight of rugby with the Barthes Trophy and St John’s Derby Day rugby festival having also taken place.
Unfortunately, Zimbabwe failed to defend their Barthes Trophy title last weekend with the Junir Sables slumping to a 13-28 defeat by Kenya in the final.
Benade and Chirengende indicated that they had decided to give the Junior Sables players a rest and had not included some of them in the side to face Zambia.
“The Barthes Trophy was good tournament and it’s unfortunate that they could not defend their title.
“There were, however, a couple of kids who raised their hands and have bright futures ahead of them.
“Edward Sigauke, of course, is a real standout, while Allan Mawunga is a nice strong and physical player.
“Even Khlowani Moyo played very and there are many other kids who lit up the stage.
“I know their coach Shaun De Souza is not done with them and will definitely play more games.
“Unfortunately, for now, we have chosen not to pick any of them (for the Zambia match) and will stick to the group that we have had in camp for the past three weeks.
“We want to give them a fair opportunity and the Under-20 players need time to get over their Barthes Trophy heartbreak.
“It was a grueling campaign, and I think this rest period is important for their mental and emotional wellbeing,” he said.
Chirengende added that today’s game would serves two main purposes — to look at the team dynamics, chemistry and combinations and to get the new-look team off to a winning start.
“The integration into the set-up has been great as I know most of the players.
“Some of them I have worked with them at Sevens level while I have watched the others play.
“It is a young, dynamic and exciting group we have in camp and now the game against Zambia will give us a nice look at where we are and what we need to work on before the Africa Cup.
“The goals of this match will be to see how our combinations and set plays work in a competitive match, all the while looking at a few players that are relatively new to us.
“The result is not necessarily top on the agenda but it will be good to get the win and instil a winning culture with this current crop of players,” Chirengende said.
Online Reporter