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Grace Chingoma
Senior Sports Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has pledged to financially support the Zimbabwe Rugby Under-20 national team that is set to travel to Kenya to defend the Barthes Africa Trophy which they won last year.
The Young Sables are currently the African champions and will be the team to beat at the upcoming tournament set to run from this Saturday up to April 30 in Kenya.
If they win the trophy again, the young Zimbabwean rugby side is guaranteed qualification to the World Rugby Under 20 Championship scheduled later this year in South Africa.
And yesterday, on the eve of the country’s 43rd Independence Day celebrations, President Mnangagwa hosted the team at State House, in a function which he recognised their exploits in conquering the continent.
Nine Under-20 rugby players led by their captain Panashe Zuze, vice captains Tanaka Gondo Mukandapi and Dion Khumalo, coach Shaun De Souza, Zimbabwe Rugby Union president Aaron Jani and the union’s chief executive Sifiso Made attended the event.
Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Tino Machakaire, Director of Sports and Recreation in the Ministry Eugenia Chidhakwa, Sports and Recreation Commission Martin Dururu also graced the occasion.
Speaking during the send-off, the President rallied the team to do the nation proud again by retaining the trophy they won last year.
Zimbabwe Rugby Union requires about $150 000 for this competition and also to cover preparations for the World Cup qualifiers.
President Mnangagwa said the team deserves support in line with the Second Republic’s thrust of excelling as a sporting nation.
“The team’s success in the 2022 Rugby Africa Barthes Trophy saw our boys being crowned African champions. Well done boys, congratulations. Amhlope.
“The achievement by the national Under-20 rugby team, plays a pivotal role as we the Second Republic continue to ensure that Zimbabwe excels as a sporting nation. This is in line with sectorial targets set for sports as spelt out in the National Development Strategy 1.
“I am reliably informed that the Junior Sables are the number one ranked Under-20 team in Zimbabwe and will be participating in the 2023 Barthes Africa Trophy to be held in Kenya. I am told you are preparing to go there.
“As President and the entire nation, we are rallying behind you at this stage, which is also a qualifier tournament for the Under-20 World Cup.
“We will support you and support your financial request,” said Mnangagwa.
The President said Government appreciates the role of sport and recreation in economic development and empowering the youth.
“The importance of Sports, Arts and Recreation in our country’s social economic development matrix cannot be over-emphasised hence the Second Republic continues to appreciate the role of sport and recreation as a fundamental tool for youth empowerment and inclusive development, as we strive to leave no one and no place behind in our development and industrialisation of our country Zimbabwe.
“The world of sport offers many choices that can appeal to the youths from different cultures and backgrounds.
“Over and above helping in the health and well-being of the people, sports serves as a platform for entrenching unity, peace and social cohesion as well as values of hard honest work.
“Furthermore, sporting disciplines such as rugby can help our young people develop traits and protective factors which enable them to build capacities to restore and manage social ills,” he said.
The President urged the players to shun drug and substance abuse that is rampant among the youths.
“I urge you to remain focused and refrain from using drugs and illicit substances. I further exalt you as youths in sport to embrace our national philosophy of “Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo”.
“This is the time for you to shine and play your part in developing our beloved motherland Zimbabwe through your talents and you have the Second Republic behind you,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said the team should cap the country’s Independence celebration by winning the African trophy.
“I challenge you to be alive to and appreciate the role which the sports sector is playing in nation building and image branding in particular.
“To this end, you are brand ambassadors of our great fatherland Zimbabwe. With these remarks, it has been my pleasure and honour to host you here at State House. I wish you success in Kenya as we participate in the World Cup qualifiers tournament.
“Tomorrow (today) we will be celebrating our 43rd Independence celebrations, and with that in mind make sure you win in Kenya,” he said.
Speaking on the same platform, ZRU president Jani called on the Government and the corporate world to continue supporting the team.
“We thank you for the unwavering and remarkable assistance that Government has been giving through the relevant channels.
“The task ahead requires significant resources and we call upon Government to assist us as we go into this very important tournament.
“The Union is tasked with raising close to $150 000. Our wish, your Excellency, is for this to become a reality through our request to the SRC and the Ministry, so that our team can have a realistic chance to qualify for the Under-20 Junior World Trophy; to be amongst the top eight countries of the world’s most elite junior rugby teams.
“We also call upon the corporate sector to jump on board and support a winning brand Zimbabwe,” he said.
Young Sables skipper and scrumhalf Mukandapi said they felt honoured to be hosted by the President.
“It is a great honour, it’s a privilege just to be invited to meet the President. It shows that he supports us and the rest of the country supports us. So this will give us confidence and we know what to do,” said Zuze.
Deputy Minister of Sport Machakaire said the rugby team’s success dovetails with the Ministry’s thrust which also continues to seek and provide an enabling environment for sport in the country.
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