Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Brandon Moyo, [email protected]
SABLES’ Africa Cup-winning tight-head prop, Cleopas Kundiona, has taken a major step in his rugby career as he is set to join English champions, Northampton Saints.
The 26-year-old Zimbabwean ace is presently on the books of French Pro D2 side USON Nevers, where he has spent the last three years. He joined the club from SO Chambéry in the third tier.
Kundiona is set to join Northampton Saints at the end of the season. His move was confirmed by USON Nevers president Régis Dumange in an interview with French publication Midi Olympique. The Sables star is one of 11 planned departures from the club.
“Eleven departures are planned. But we anticipated this: Charlie Francoz (ex-Biarritz, medical joker for Maxence Barjaud) is here, Alexandre Coulibaly (Racing 92) has just arrived, and we have just signed George Smith, an English second-row forward, 2.06m tall and weighing 135kg, who will arrive in a few days. He comes from Northampton, who had loaned him to Bedford in the English second division.
“Cleopas Kundiona (tighthead prop) will leave at the end of the season for Northampton. I am looking for two or three players, including a big number three,” said Dumange.
Kundiona’s move to Northampton Saints follows English second-rower George Smith’s transfer in the opposite direction from the Premiership side to Nevers.
USON Nevers is also home to Zimbabwe internationals Farai Mudariki and Jason Fraser.
The move to Northampton Saints will see Kundiona following in the footsteps of one of his childhood idols, the Zimbabwe-born former Springboks prop, Farai Mujati.
Mujati, who earned 12 caps for South Africa, made over 100 appearances for Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens, where chants of “Mooj” were regularly heard from the stands.
Kundiona is a key member of the Sables, who are aiming to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The Sables, who won the 2024 Africa Cup, will return to action in July for the final qualification tournament, where only one ticket to the global showpiece will be up for grabs. Zimbabwe are hoping to make their first World Cup appearance since 1991.
The Sables were the first African team to compete in the Rugby World Cup, appearing in the inaugural tournament in 1987 and again in 1991, before Namibia overtook them as the dominant African side. Since then, Zimbabwe have yet to return to the global stage.
Locally based players have already begun their preparations for the continental showdown, which is scheduled for July in Uganda.
In Uganda, the Sables will compete against Algeria, Uganda, Namibia, Kenya, Senegal and Ivory Coast, with a pending winner between Morocco and Tunisia completing the eight-team line-up. Only one automatic qualification spot is available, while the runners-up will proceed to the Africa/Asia play-off to determine who advances to the final qualification tournament. — @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter