adminGeorgians and runners-up Harare Sports Club expected to dominate the honours’ roll.
The awards ceremony’s return has been blessed by the bouncing back of Lion Lager, who are sponsoring both the National Rugby League and the flagship team the Sables this year.
Over the past years, only the fortunate clubs have been able to honour their players after the season, as the NRL were financially constrained.
But Delta Beverages have come on board to help the rugby fraternity to honour the outstanding players for the just-ended 2011 season.
The ceremony will also be used for both the NRL awards and the Sables’ awards as Lion Lager are the sponsors of both Zimbabwe Rugby Union associates.
The Sables’ awards will include Player of the Year, Player’s Player, Rookie of the Year, Backliner of the Year and Forward of the year while the NRL awards will also include all these categories except the Player’s Player award.
Harare Sports Club prop Denford Mutamangira is tipped to grab the Forward of the Year for the Sables where he was a vital cog of the pack both going forward and in defence.
He was equally destructive in the league games where he, however, is set to shrug off a stiff challenge from Old Georgians’ loose forward Jacques Leitao.
Diminutive flanker/eighthman Njabulo Ndlovu, also of Old Georgians, could have stood a chance for making it into this NRL category but his move to South Africa during the season has ruled him out.
Former Zimbabwe Under-20 and Old Georgians fullback Daniel Robertson is tipped to walk away as the Sables’ Backliner of the Year having been on top of his game on the international scene where the Sables were unbeaten.
It is on the local scene that the fullback will face a steep challenge from Red Lions and Cheetahs playmaker Daniel Hondo, whose hard tackling and offensive mind frame, drove the Sports Club lions’ pride.
Rookie Charles Jiji, making his first appearance for the Sables barely two weeks after graduating from the Under-20 side, rose to be a star during the Sables campaign in both the Victoria Cup and Africa Cup games.
His exploits as a scrumhalf with a small body but gifted with speed and vision is largely anticipated to win him the Rookie of the Year award having played in all the Sables games this year.
The former Old Boy is now based in England after earning a scholarship to Hurtpury College following his impressive show at the Junior World Rugby Trophy earlier in the year.
His JWRT counterpart from Old Georgians, winger Kudakwashe Chiwanza, made a few, but impressive, appearances for the Sables and could walk away with the NRL prize.
The fact that he has played for the Sables could give him an upper hand ahead of other juniors who include Steve Hunduza and the duo of Lenience Tambwera and Tonderai Chigumbura who were part of the Under-19 Africa Cup side.
Sables’ manager, Noddy Kanyangarara, who also doubles up as the NRL president, was excited with the return of the awards saying this would motivate both the current and future players to take up the game.
“We have the Rookie of the Year award and I am sure this will motivate the junior players that are willing to play in the league.
“Some have done well with the national team, the Under-20s and some with the Cheetahs and it will be good rewarding their efforts and even the players coming from school will feel motivated when their friends
are rewarded.
“Generally I am excited that the awards have come back and the clubs’ efforts will also be recognised.
“We know it’s not as much as they might have wanted but this is a starting point,” said Kanyangarara.
Online Reporter