Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema-Zimpapers Sports Hub
WORLD Rugby have released the match schedule for the inaugural edition of the Nations Cup where the Zimbabwe Sables and Tonga are set to dominate opening day on July 4.
Zimbabwe are set to play Tonga, US and Canada during the July international window.
The Sables open up their account on July 4 with a clash against 2027 Rugby World Cup group opponents, Tonga, at Dicks’ Sporting Goods Park Stadium in Denver Colorado.
That match kicks off at 12 midnight, Zimbabwe time.
On July 11, the Sables play hosts US at the American Legion Memorial Stadium (1:30am).
Zimbabwe will then move to Canada and play the hosts at the Princess Auto Stadium on July 18 to wrap up the July window Nations Cup fixtures (2am).
The World Rugby Nations Cup sees the 12 unions who qualified for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 compete in a structured environment designed to accelerate competitiveness and create certainty of meaningful annual Test fixtures with revenue opportunities.
According to World Rugby, the exciting schedule balances geographic spread, player welfare, logistics cost and developmental opportunity, providing fans with clarity, teams with certainty, and unions with commercial opportunities.
North America will play a central role in the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup, with the US and Canada hosting a combined nine fixtures that showcase the breadth and diversity of emerging rug-by nations.
Denver, Charlotte, and Cary will host premium international action, including the global flavoured Tonga against Zimbabwe encounter, which not only highlights rugby’s expanding reach but will also be a Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Pool F fixture next year.
For the Zimbabwe rugby community, there was a wave of excitement as the highly-anticipated Nations Cup beckons and preparations enter the home stretch.
“We are indeed excited, the release of the match schedule is yet another welcome development for us,” said Zimbabwe Rugby Union Interim Management Committee general manager Takunda “TJ” Chifokoyo.
“We now know where we are going to play and when, which helps us from a logistics point of view.
“We have already started gathering resources and galvanising fan support with enquires being made from the diaspora community in the US and Canada,” he said.
Chifokoyo said efforts are being made to gather resources and enable some of the local rugby fans to travel with the team.
Unfortunately, due to the unrest in the Middle East, securing visas for the US remains a challenge.
“It is complex issue, at the moment,” said Chifokoyo.
“We remain optimistic that we will prevail as it pertains to securing visas for our Sables squad.
“We have been in constant communication with World Rugby, the US Rugby Union and the US embassy, who have all been very helpful.
“As it pertains to the fans, I think we will be in a better position to help the fans for the Canada leg, this window, and the games in England in November,” he said.
In the meantime, the Zimbabwe Sables camp have been quitely going about their business as they prepare to host Zambia at the end of the month.
Zimbabwe will play neighbours Zambia over two legs with the first match slated for April 25 at Harare Sports Club.
They will then travel to Zambia for the return leg on May 2.
The returning Victoria Cup remains on the docket with Zimbabwe scheduled to play Uganda, Kenya and Namibia.
They will then wrap up their calendar with a match against South Africa A, formerly South Africa’s Emerging side, on June 28 at the Nelson Mandela Bay.
That match is set to act as a curtain raiser for the clash between the Springboks and the Barbarians.
“Our calendar is still a work in progress with the confirmed matches being the two-legged ties against Zambia,” Chifokoyo said.
“We spoke to the Uganda, Kenya and Namibia unions, a few days ago, we still have a buy-in from them.
“All that is left is to iron out the dates.”
Chifokoyo also gave an update on the foreign-based players, who he said will start trickling into camp next month.
The European leagues should be wrapped up by the end of May with the Sables players based in Spain and Poland likely to be the first batch in.
The South Africa-based players are expected aound the same time.
