adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
IT wasn’t all joy in the Sables camp despite Zimbabwe’s 28-20 home win over Kenya in their opening game of the Rugby Africa Cup with the senior team snubbing a traditional after-match dinner with the visitors in protest over non-payment of allowances.
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union traditionally host visiting teams for a post-match dinner, but it was a different case on Saturday as the Sables snubbed the dinner party arguing that they needed their allowances first.
ZRU set a standard allowances fee of $150 for match appearance and $10 as players’ allowances during camp meaning that each of the players who got into camp last Sunday was entitled to at least $200.
But it seems the ZRU may have just shot themselves in the foot given that these are the same players they are expected to call back into camp soon in preparation for their second Africa Cup game at home against Tunisia at the same venue on July 4.
The Union’s officials could not be reached for comment.
However, sources told The Herald that there had been no breakthrough on the impasse with ZRU electing to keep mum over the allowances.
The Sables were camped at the ZESA National Training Centre in Belvedere.
It, however, emerged that it was a sorry situation with some of the players having to ask or borrow money for bus fare from their colleagues, a situation that paints gloomy a picture on the national team’s future.
This is the second time in less than a week that the Sables camp had been rocked by problems.
Early last week, ZRU chief executive Colleen de Jong sparked a row when she unsuccessfully ordered that lunch be cancelled and players move out of camp before union president John Falkenberg intervened to save the situation.
The last time the Sables boycotted an event was in 2012 when Bongai Zamchiya was the Sables committee chairman after one of their training sessions was cancelled, demanding to know how much they would be paid for their Namibia tour.
Zamchiya had to be called in and explained to the players the situation his committee was in, but made it clear they would be paid.
But it was a different story over the weekend.
“No one even came to address the team with regards to the allowances issue. We are in the dark and we do not even know when we are going to be paid — or if we are going to be paid at all.
“It’s very sad that players put their all, so does the technical team, but no one from the ZRU including (director of rugby) Brighton Chivandire who we all feel is the link between the national teams and the Union.
“It feels like we are being sabotaged.
“The Cheetahs always get a lot of support from the Union. In their preparation for their several tournaments, including the Hong Kong tournament, (that was played in March) they had access to gym, fitness and conditioning facilities provided for by the ZRU.
“But nothing like that ever came through for the Sables.”
Online Reporter