Veronica Gwaze, Zimpapers Sports Hub
WHEN the Zimbabwe Senior Men’s Rugby team, the Sables host Namibia in a Test match at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday, it will be more than just a friendly.
A 25-year-old jinx needs to be broken.
Zimbabwe have failed to beat Namibia on home soil for more than two and a half decades, with their last home victory coming on July 7, 2001 in a narrow 27-26 win at Hartsfield in Bulawayo in the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) Championship under Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa.
That drought could end this weekend in front of a packed iconic venue with the match scheduled to get underway at 3PM.
Interestingly, the current Sables squad, which is built entirely on local talent, it will be playing at the iconic giant stadium for the first time.
And home support is expected to provide the atmosphere they have long yearned for.
What makes the battle even more compelling is the longstanding rivalry between the two sides
Namibia are the same opponent that catapulted Zimbabwe back to the Rugby World Cup stage after years of trying.
The Sables beat Namibia 30-28 in the final of the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup in Kampala, Uganda, to seal qualification and end a 36-year wait since their last appearance in 1991.
“Welcoming Namibia, our big Southern Hemisphere and African rival, will be a huge highlight because we have not beaten them in our country for 25 years, so it will certainly be a big match that our boys are up for,” said Sables head coach Pieter Benate.
“This doesn’t feel like a friendly; everyone is excited about the venue, so that’s going to be an attraction on its own just from the boys’ point of view and the supporters.
“It has been long since the Sables last played there, or a Zimbabwean team played there. I think the Sharks played the Bulls, so we have had South Africans there but not a Zimbabwean team making it a special occasion for us.”
The Sables will miss at least eight international players in a development that allows some locals to step up and prove themselves.
This Test also comes as part of the Sables’ build-up to next year’s World Cup, with the platform meant to provide a chance for Benate to measure his team’s progress and test depth.
In the same month next year, the Sables will be playing in the World Cup with their opening battle coming against Wales at the Adelaide Oval on October 2, 2027.
After their opening clash with Wales, Zimbabwe will remain in Adelaide to face England on October 8, before wrapping up their group campaign against Tonga at the North Queensland Stadium in Townsville.
Drawn into a challenging pool alongside England, Wales and Tonga, the Sables face a stern test but also a valuable opportunity to announce their return to elite international rugby.
The global rugby festival will run between October 1 and November 13, 2027, becoming the first men’s Rugby World Cup to feature 24 teams.
The expanded format introduces a round of 16, offering emerging nations like Zimbabwe a realistic chance of progressing beyond the pools.
Pool winners and runners-up will automatically qualify for the knockout stages, joined by the four best third-placed teams, while in total, the competition runs over 19 match-days, with most fixtures scheduled for weekends to boost attendance and fan engagement.
And the Sables’ preparations will have a huge bearing on the future at the global showcase.
“The preparations have been going on well. It’s been amazing being able to get the local boys just on the pitch,” Benade said.
“We have had three weeks of internal matches, trying to sharpen the boys up; it has been baby steps forward every week, and we have seen improvements.
“They have done well in combinations and the cohesion is improving; hopefully that will put us in good standing on Saturday.”
Towering second-row lock Kudakwashe “Goofy” Nyakufaringwa will not be in action as he continues to recover from injury.
“Big Goofy had a knee injury . . . opportunity for locals to put up their hand for positions, and I think we have enough quality for Saturday,” said the Benade.
