adminHarstfield Stadium, the country’s ceremonial home of rugby turns 75 years old this year and as part of celebrating this milestone achievement, the Matabeleland Rugby Football Board has organised a friendly match between Zimbabwe Legends and South Africa’s Springboks Legends.
The match will be played on 9 March at Hartsfield Stadium.
Sean Robinson, the MRFB vice-chairman said South African legends have confirmed that they would be available for the celebrations and MRFB has started looking for sponsorship to make the celebrations a success.
According to Robinson, the five former Springboks players who have confirmed that they will be part of the team to tour Zimbabwe are Gweru-born Gary Teichmann, Bulawayo–born Ian MacIntosh who is a former Springbok coach, Des Van Jaarsveld, Pieter Muller who played 33 tests for the Springboks and Carlos Spencer.
Van Jaarsveld is the oldest surviving former captain of the Springboks and is 83 years old.
“Hartsfield is the best facility that we have as Zimbabwe which meets international standards for international games. As such, we have to celebrate its existence and 75 years is not a joke. There are a number of activities that we have lined up as a board to mark the celebrations.
“We want to involve everyone in these celebrations that is former players, administrators, sponsors, current players as well as rugby enthusiasts. South Africa is coming and Botswana will also play our provincial squads. We are happy that five former Springboks players have confirmed and this is a positive step for us,” said Robinson.
A day before the match, the Springboks Legends will play golf at the Bulawayo Country Club.
Robinson said they intend to raise funds which would be used to spruce up Hartsfield Stadium.
“We have to keep the facility top class and we have to raise funds to spruce it up. We aim to get some funds from golf and we are also going to have a dinner and all proceeds will go towards the 75 years celebrations,” he said.
Robinson said the Zimbabwe Legends squad would be drawn from Northern and Southern Region ex-players. He said to play legends rugby a one should have played for the Sables, Cheetahs or Goshawks and should be above 33 years old.
Some of the players expected to turn up for Zimbabwe legends include Andre Cotse, Adam York, Sables coach Brendan Dawson,Chris Rogers, Denver Methembe, Emmanuel Manyoro, Matabeleland Tuskers Cricket Franchise coach Heath Streak and Neil Nesbit.
Ruben Kumpasa, Rusty Hatton, Robinson, Slater Ndlovu, Tapiwa Mangezi and Victor Olonga are some of the players expected to represent Zimbabwe at the celebrations.
Meanwhile, the Zimbo Under-21 competition enters second week today with Old Miltonians taking on Western Panthers while Busters lock horns with Bulldogs at Hartsfield Stadium
The tournament is being used to shortlist players who will play as the curtain raisers of the Zimbabwe Legends against the Springboks Legends.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter