adminplay two of that country’s provincial sides.
The Sables were expected to play the two games as the Goshawks but as was the case on three previous occasions this year, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union and the senior side’s fund-raising committee once again failed to lure sponsors and put together enough funds to send a team.
Coach Brendon Dawson’s men were advised of the cancellation through a brief statement issued by Bongai Zamchiya’s fund-raising committee.
“I regret to inform you that we have been forced to postpone the tour to South Africa as the sponsors have not given us the money for it yet,” read part of a statement from the Sables committee.
In this tour, Zimbabwe were expected to take on Limpopo on Saturday in Polokwane prior to them travelling to Nelspruit in Mpumalanga Province for a date against the Pumas next Wednesday.
They would then round up their preparations for the Africa Cup with a date against the Falcons in Bulawayo.
Early this year the Sables were expected to travel to Namibia for a friendly in Windhoek towards the end of February, but this was cancelled due to lack of funds.
After failing to travel to Windhoek, the Sables were then expected to host the Namibians last month before receiving Belgium, but that, too, failed to materialise.
Although the Sables committee had insisted that the senior side would be able to travel to South Africa their negative financial position meant that this remained just but a dream.
It has also emerged that most of the Sables players who travelled to Dubai late last year for the Emirates invitational tournament have not yet received their outstanding allowances they were initially expected to get at the beginning of the year.
There are indications, however that the committee has promised to foot the bill by tomorrow.
Having last taken part at the Dubai Emirates invitational tournament last December in the United Arab Emirates, the Sables will have to wait a little longer to get game time.
Despite the setback, Sables team manager Losson Mtongwiza said they would continue with preparations for the Africa Cup.
“We will revert to practising every Wednesday at OH (Old Hararians Sports Club) at 6pm until June 27 when we go into camp. The guys playing and practising 7’s at OGs (Old Georgians Sports Club) will be excused, but we will continue to monitor who will be attending there too.
“Once the 7’s team leaves on June 22 (for the Sevens World Cup in Russia) we will expect all those who do not make the touring squad to show up for practice at OH without fail,” Mtongwiza said.
However, the Sables committee is hopeful they will raise the funds to embark on the tour to South Africa after taking part at the Africa Cup, with Mtongwiza adding that “the tour will now be after the Currie Cup and the Africa Cup at a date yet to be set.”
This means that the Sables have so far have two confirmed Tests only, a far cry from the more than 10 they had originally lined up for the 2013 international season. Following the financial challenges they are facing, the Sables Africa Cup preparatory game against Limpopo on July 13 – a week before their leave for Madagascar for the Africa Cup – is also now in doubt.
Two more home Tests were set to be played against possibly Russia and Georgia in October and November, but these have been scrapped — according to the Zimbabwe Rugby Union calendar.
National Rugby League fixtures secretary Larry Chikukura yesterday said they were working on resuming their inter-club fixtures as they had suspended games for five weeks in order to pave way for the national team.
“It is too late to try and have the league resume this weekend (Saturday) so we are looking at having them resume next week and league president (Noddy Kanyangarara) is also going to talk with the referees notifying them of our proposal,” he said.
Online Reporter