Nedbank Challenge Cup preps on course

ZIMBABWE Rugby Union (ZRU) vice president Martin Shone says preparations for this year’s Nedbank Challenge Cup are well on course.

The union plans to use the competition as part of preparations for the Junior Sables’ 2024 Barthes Trophy to be held in Harare in April.

“We are looking forward to the Nedbank Challenge Cup. We expect this year’s edition to be highly competitive. More importantly, the competition serves a greater purpose as it gives our Under-20 side a chance to get the test they need as they seek to defend the Barthes Trophy in March,” said Shone.

The eight teams to take part in the men’s competition will be Nedbank Under- 20 High Performance, Old Georgians, Old Hararians, Harare Sports Club, Pit Bulls/Harare Select, Matabeleland Select (selected from Old Miltonians, Warriors, Highlanders, Bulldogs, Gweru Sports Club, Mimosa and Zvishavane), Manicaland Select (comprising Mutare sports club Spartans, Africa University, Rusape and Mutare Polytechnic) and Nedbank Under-20 Junior Sables Squad.

The Nedbank Rugby Challenge Cup is a calendar event that embraces grassroots player development path-way into national structures from Under-20 into the senior 15’s and 7’s structures of the game.

The competition provides a platform for final selection and talent identification, elite performance pathways for players across the country for the Zimbabwe Under-20, senior Men’s Goshawks and even the Cheetahs Men’s and Women’s Franchises.

The Nedbank Rugby Challenge Cup provides opportunities for the developmental structures to put together the best players and get them to compete against the top clubs and provincial teams while the rivalry and competitive rugby will be displayed on the field, we hope to create a family atmosphere off the field as we support the players up for selection.

The tournament will offer selectors, technical teams, and national coaches a key platform to observe players at one venue, with strength-on-strength match ups.

It will also offer an opportunity for match officials to increase their expertise and for clubs to showcase their facilities. – @innocentskizoe.