Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
PIET BENADE is clearly a man with a plan.
While the 2027 Rugby World Cup remains the ultimate goal, the Zimbabwe senior men’s rugby team have a couple of important campaigns coming in the next 12 months and their coach Benade appears to have everything mapped out. The former Zimbabwe international revealed his seven-month programme, which includes a series of cross-border tours against the likes of Zambia and Botswana. He also intends to host African Challenges against Kenya, Uganda and Namibia.
This is all to prepare his charges for next year’s World Rugby Nations Cup, a tournament designed to give World Cup teams some much-needed exposure and game time against competitive teams. There, Zimbabwe have a couple of dates against Canada, the United States of America and their World Cup opponents Tonga.
Should everything go according to plan, the Sables plan to have played as many as 20 Tests by year end.
“We are obviously looking forward to next year,” said Benade.
“We are super stoked by the happenings of the last month or so, what with the draw and everything. “It has really hit home what we have achieved and put into perspective the challenges that lie ahead. “Now, we are just looking forward to preparing the boys and putting on a good show in 2026,” he said. Benade detailed his actual plan. “We have two big campaigns coming up, 2026 and 2027. “So, 2026, I think, will be about really building our team, seeing the gap in the performance of Rugby Africa and what we are going to be up against in July even.
“So we are just going to be closing that gap just in terms of personnel, preparation and training, and then we will see how well we do in July in Nations Cup. “We, obviously, have a wish list and topping that is activity and game time. “We have a few Cross-border Rugby Challenges that we would love to play against Zambia and Botswana.
