Sables prepare for Africa Cup as Mupunga joins squad

THE Zimbabwe senior men’s national rugby team has been hard at work in preparation of the forthcoming Rugby Africa Cup, which is slated for Uganda later this month. The Sables have been training for some days and have received a timely boost in the experienced prop, Victor Mupunga who has joined the squad in preparation for the continental showdown in the East African nation.

Mupunga turns out for French Club, Nuits-Saint-Georges and will be a part of a squad that is mostly dominated by local-based players. He was part of the Sables squad that also played in the previous Africa Rugby Cup. The experienced prop said it wasn’t easy catching up with the rest of the team on his first day in training but he is happy with the opportunity to play for the Sables once again. He added that the mood in camp has been good and they are all looking forward to their opening game of the tournament.

“It has been a while since I have been back with the team and I am really happy to be called in to play with the boys. “The boys have been putting in some good work and it was tough catching up with them on my first day. With the Uganda game approaching, the boys aren’t feeling pressure, but rather a growing excitement to compete, especially seeing other teams raise their game,” said Mupunga.

The game between the Sables and the hosts, Uganda, is scheduled for July 20 at the Kyadondo Rugby Club. The Rugby Africa Cup is a biennial tournament featuring 16 African nations. Namibia won the previous edition in 2022. Meanwhile, the highly anticipated match between Zimbabwe A and Bulawayo Select, which was pencilled for tomorrow at Hartsfield Rugby Grounds has been postponed. In what was promising to be an exhilarating day of rugby, the new date for the game is set to be advised.

Milton Elephants were also meant to face off against Plumtree High School on the same day as a curtain raiser, however, that match has also been postponed. With a training squad for the match having been called up by the Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board (BMRFB), it meant that club activities were disrupted hence there will be no league action this week.

There will be no Archer Clothing Rugby League matches taking place this week. The league resumed last week from a mid-season break. The return saw Bulldogs register their maiden victory of the campaign with a 29-11 win over Highlanders while table topper, Old Miltonians (OMs) pummelled Panthers 59-3.

Despite the win and getting the bonus point, the Bulldogs remain at the bottom of the standings. On the other end of the table, OMs’ massive win saw them open a nine-point gap between them and second-placed defending champions, Matabeleland Warriors. OMs are now on 24 points from their five matches while – in four games – Warriors are on 15 points. OMs remain as the only side yet to taste defeat as they are looking at dethroning their old foes Warriors. —@brandon_malvin