Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN rugby referee, Talent Gandiwa has shared his experience after officiating at the recently held Portugal Rugby Youth Festival, one of the greatest European rugby tournaments for clubs, schools as well as academies.
This year’s edition was held on 24 and 25 October with matches played on five fields. Junior teams from Under-13 up to Under-19 are catered for at the Portugal Rugby Youth Festival.
For the 31-year old Harare based Gandiwa, one of the top rugby referees in the country, it was a remarkable experience at a tournament where 300 matches took place over two days.
“The experience at Portugal Youth Rugby Festival is phenomenal. Games played over 300 matches in two days, it’s a highly organised event by Move Sports owned by a Portuguese Antonio Da Cunha. Teams were coming from all over Portugal this year due to Covid-19 restrictions but the tournament is wide broad to other countries with the next edition happening in April 2021. Peterhouse attended this tournament in 2018 so it’s an international youth tournament,’’ Gandiwa said.
Gandiwa handled the Under-17 final between Centro Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa and Agronomia and from that experience, he feels that rugby in Portugal is a lot quicker.
“I managed to do the Under-17 final of the tournament between CDUL Rugby versus Agronomia Rugby. Rugby in Portugal is very fast, I would say they play like Argentinians or New Zealanders,’’ he said.
Gandiwa officiated at the tournament with referees from Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom.
It was the second time that Gandiwa, a qualified accountant has officiated at the Portugal Youth Rugby Festival. He made his debut at the festival in 2019 and won the Fair Play accolade at that event.
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