Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira
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ZIMBABWEAN female rugby referee, Precious Pazani is off to yet another international assignment as she is set to officiate at the World Rugby Challenger Series in South Africa.
The first round of two will be played over three days from Thursday, April 20 to Saturday, April 22 at the Markotter Stadium in Stellenbosch.
Zimbabwe, the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens 2022 runners up have been drawn to face off with Germany, Tonga and Belgium in Pool A. Last year’s winners of the continental title Uganda are in Pool C alongside Korea Republic, Jamaica and Brazil.
The knockout phase will begin on the afternoon of day two and conclude on day three. Winners at the end of the two rounds of this Challenger Series, will enter a four-team playoff at the London Sevens in May to play for promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2024.
Pazani has previously officiated at the Dubai Invitational Sevens and the Cape Town Sevens at the end of 2022. It was at the Cape Town Sevens where she became the first ever Zimbabwean referee to handle a World Rugby Sevens Series match. She was the referee for the match between Brazil and Japan before she blew the whistle when Canada faced Fiji.
Last month, the 32-year old Pazani was an assistant referee in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations. She was an assistant referee when England faced Scotland in the competition’s opening day.
In 2022, Pazani also became the first Zimbabwean rugby referee to officiate at the World Cup after her participation at the Rugby World Cup Sevens, which was held in Cape Town, South Africa.
Meanwhile, the Cheetahs are already in Western Cape preparing for battle in the first leg of the Challenger Series. The Graham Kaulback coached team left Zimbabwe last Sunday.
World Rugby Challenger Series Pools
Pool A: Germany, Tonga, Zimbabwe, Belgium.
Pool B: Chile, Hong Kong China, Papua New Guinea, Italy.
Pool C: Uganda, Korea Republic, Jamaica, Brazil.
— @ innocentskizoe
Online Reporter