Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
WHEN Piet Benade touched down in Kampala, Uganda, the Sables head coach felt something stir, a familiar energy, a rush of memory.
“Lovely memories coming back here,” Benade said, moments after arriving with the Zimbabwe squad on Saturday ahead of the Rugby Africa Cup. “I’m sure as we head into the streets and back to the field, it’ll rekindle those positive emotions. We’re hoping that will help us.”
That emotional pull has its roots in last year’s run, same city, same tournament. But this time, there’s more on the line.
Zimbabwe open their 2025 Rugby Africa Cup campaign this morning with a tricky quarter-final clash against Morocco at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium. Kick-off is 9am.
“The preparations have been good. We’ve been fortunate to get a lot of the boys back, who were here last year,” said Benade. “Hopefully, the continuity, the spirit and the good memories will keep us high.”
But all sentiment aside, today’s clash is as real as it gets.
Since arrival, Benade’s message has been simple: block out the noise and handle the job.
“The boys are ready and in a good space,” he said after the final runout on Sunday. “We’ve got to turn up and meet the moment. There’s no fanfare, no overblown promises, just focus.”
Morocco demand that kind of focus.
They’ve quietly become one of the most physical sides on the continent, their rise powered by a core of French-based players who’ve sharpened their craft in the forward heavy, tactical trenches of the French lower leagues.
That makes them brutal at the set piece, unforgiving at the breakdown, and patient enough to wait for opponents to make mistakes.
“Morocco had a very successful year in 2024,” Benade said. “It’ll be up to us to match their physicality and accuracy. A lot of them are French based, and that comes with set piece nous and raw power.”
That respect is echoed by Sables captain Hilton Mudariki, who earns his 54th Test cap today, a landmark few Zimbabwean players have ever reached.
After Sunday’s captain’s run, Mudariki struck a confident tone.
“It was awesome being at the match venue. The energy’s good and the spirits are high,” he said. “It’s going to be a passionate game. The North Africans will bring physicality, and it’s up to us to man up and front up to that.”
But Mudariki isn’t dwelling on hype or headlines. His message mirrors the coach’s, this journey didn’t start last week.
“Mentally, we’ve done all the work. This started last year and it continues now. I feel like we had ideal preparations for this tournament,” he said.
When asked about Zimbabwe’s tag as tournament favourites, the veteran scrumhalf didn’t dodge.
“Yes, there’s always pressure,” he admitted. “But we’re focusing on ourselves. We know what we want to bring to this tournament. We can’t hide from the fact that we have a target on our backs, but we’ve prepared for that.”
The squad got a timely boost late Sunday night with the arrival of Matthew McNab.
The England-based backline ace is known for his acceleration, vision, and cutting edge in broken play. Though he only linked up with the team hours before the final session, he looked right at home.
McNab’s a quiet operator, a no fuss professional whose precision lifts the intensity at training. Expect him to bring added spark and structure to Zimbabwe’s attacking shapes.
Morocco, for their part, will try to slow things down, dominate at scrum and maul, frustrate the Sables into forcing off script plays.
But Zimbabwe are prepared for that tempo war. They’ve got hardened veterans up front, mobile flankers who love a tackle, and a back row that can keep the ball alive.
And in Mudariki and Ian Prior, they boast halfbacks with the experience to manage territory, tempo and nerves, especially in the dying moments.
For the Sables, this isn’t just a quarterfinal. It’s a statement opportunity.
A chance to reaffirm their standing, stay in control of their World Cup trajectory, and prove once again that Zimbabwean rugby isn’t content to just show up.
