adminNgoni Dapira
THE Manicaland chapter of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union will tomorrow (Saturday) hold a meeting in preparation for the rugby planning indaba set for October.
Manicaland ZRU chairman Richard Chiwandire said the meeting was meant to get the steering committee together and set the agenda for the planning indaba which will be the first of its kind to steer development of rugby in the province from grassroots all the way to the top.
“This initiative of a planning indaba is the first of its kind. The results will be an intergrated front in Manicaland with full representation from schools rugby, club rugby, college and universities, referees and coaches.
“We want to ensure that we have a board that is fully represented with members who have a database that reaches all the corners of the province.
“Rugby is poised to develop in Zimbabwe, but we have to set the framework and tap all the talent, which is what the indaba seeks to achieve,” said Chiwandire.
Chiwandire added that Zimbabwe’s rugby was failing to reach its high point because of poor co-ordination.
“Yes poor funding is chief on the hurdles list that deter Zimbabwe rugby from advancing, but also of concern is the poor co-ordination. We need structures on the ground and that is what the planning indaba will initiate in Manicaland.
“We need coordination at all levels. We will come up with the proposed clusters for the Manicaland Rugby Board and appoint a cluster leader. The person, however, has to be devoted to the task considering that it is a voluntary job.
“This meeting (tomorrow) will then lead to the strategic planning indaba in October where we will deliberate upon and consolidate the input from the various clusters for the next four years 2015-19,” said Chiwandire.
ZRU Manicaland secretary Mackenzie Munetsi said the planning indaba will factor in the conception of a regional schools rugby festival, a Manicaland Rugby League, coaching clinics to advance the grade of local coaches and referees among many other initiatives from 2015-19.
“The idea is to tap all the rugby talent in the province from the grassroots going up. We believe the future of Zimbabwe’s rugby lies in the grassroots where there is a lot of untapped talent.
“Come 2019, the goal is to have Zimbabwe at the next Rugby World Cup. We want to see the fruits of the Manicaland planning indaba and have players from Manicaland making the grade for the Sables,” said Munetsi.
Online Reporter