adminSenior Sports Reporter
THE resumption of the National Rugby League has been put on hold to allow the Zimbabwe Sables to prepare for their 2015 International Rugby Board Rugby World Cup play-off qualifier against Russia next month without any disruptions. NRL chairman Noddy Kanyangarara said the league which took a two-week time off for the Sables’ participation at Rugby World Cup Africa qualifiers in Madagascar, is now going to resume on 26 July instead of this weekend. According to Kanyangarara, one of the clubs had even suggested that the nine team league should resume on 9 August, a week after the Sables’ fixture against Russia which is on 2 August in Russia, which the league management felt was not feasible.
The benefit of this break to the clubs is that the players were free to move to any club of their choice, and play for their new club when action resumed.
“As the National Rugby League we have decided to postpone the resumption of the league to 26 July. We want to give the national team enough time to prepare for their match against Russia. There was even a suggestion from one of the clubs that we resume after the Sables match against Russia next month but that is not possible,’’ said Kanyangarara.
The NRL is still without an official sponsor as Delta Beverages who had bankrolled the league using their Lion Lager brand from 2011 up to last year, have not yet renewed the partnership deal.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter