Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ON March 24, 2024, a beaming Piet Benade stood beside the late Aaron Jani, then Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) president, and Sables Trust rep Lindsay Earle.
Benade had just been named interim coach, tasked with steering the Sables through the upcoming Rugby Africa Cup.
With just five months to prepare, the goal was simple: avoid relegation and stay in the hunt for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
That photo, once routine, now feels loaded with meaning. A lot has changed since then.
Benade did not just keep Zimbabwe afloat; he led them to back-to-back Rugby Africa Cup titles.
In 2024, they beat Namibia for the first time in 23 years.
A year later, they did it again, edging the same team 30-28 to defend their crown and clinch a long-awaited return to the World Cup.
It has been 34 years since Zimbabwe last made it.
Under normal circumstances, the entire rugby community would be celebrating. But celebration has been muted. Progress on the field has not been matched off it.
Benade and his squad are still soaking it all in. And if you ask the coach, he saw this coming.
“I think every coach will always have belief in themselves,” said Benade. “Belief that they can achieve their goals, and they know how to achieve their goals.
“So, certainly, there was a vision that we could do well when I was first appointed. And I’m very lucky that the vision, we were able to turn it into reality.
“It was not only my belief, but that of the Sables Trust, who helped raise funds for us to just get the basics done. Getting the players in, getting the preparations right and all that cost a lot of money.
“So, having them and, obviously, our other sponsors and partners like Nedbank and Delta, through their Sable brand, helped.”
His point is clear: Success took belief, as well as serious support. That support is now in question.
Right now, the union is leaderless. Jani has passed away, and his predecessor, Losson Mtongwiza, is suspended.
Alongside him, Regina Mwanandiwa, the Women’s Rugby chairperson, is facing allegations of misconduct and financial mismanagement tied to the Lady Sables.
Their disciplinary hearings were held in secret last week and ended without resolution.
The matter has now been pushed to August 15 and 16.
“The Judiciary Committee is just giving an update,” read a leaked memo. “We had to adjourn last night (Tuesday) just before 1900hrs as both matters were not concluded, so all parties will reconvene on the 15th and the 16th of August so we finish both hearings for both Losson Mtongwiza and Regina Mwanandiwa.”
To make matters worse, acting president Tapfuma Parirenyatwa, who led the union during the World Cup qualifiers, has just resigned, citing business and family obligations.
And if reports are to be believed, ZRU chief executive officer Sifiso Made quietly stepped down too.
The union has, however, not confirmed that yet.
Before Parirenyatwa left, he dissolved the Sables Trust, saying it was best for the next president, be it Mtongwiza or someone else, to choose their own team.
The timing could not be worse.
The 2027 World Cup may feel distant, but preparation cannot wait. Benade said it himself: the World Cup is a different beast entirely.
Age is already a concern.
The squad that got Zimbabwe to Australia might not be the same one that takes the field in 2027.
That is why coordination between Benade and Zimbabwe Under-20 coach Shaun De Souza is crucial.
Several recent U-20 graduates, Bryan Chiang, Simbarashe Siraha, Takudzwa Musingwini, Edward Sigauke, Trevor Gurwe and Dion Khumalo, have already broken into the senior team.
The pipeline is working. Now, it needs structure and a long-term plan.
Zimbabwe needs better competition too. Regular sparring partners like Zambia and Botswana just do not cut it anymore.
World Rugby is planning a second-tier Nations Championship with 12 teams, launching ahead of the 2030 season.
The 12 countries that qualify for the 2027 World Cup, including Zimbabwe, are expected to compete in the inaugural edition.
This tournament, along with critical friendlies, needs funding. This means the Sables Trust must be revived.
Above all, the union needs a president — the vacancy must be filled, fast.
Without leadership, resources or vision, Zimbabwe risks squandering its biggest rugby moment in decades.
