adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
AFTER failing to raise funds to sail through the season, the National Rugby League have proposed to round off the competition by going straight into the knock-out stage, starting with semi-finals.
After playing eight of the 16 rounds of competition, the NRL coffers ran dry mid-way through the season but yesterday NRL president Noddy Kanyangarara told The Herald they were considering going onto the knock-out stage on current log standings. The NRL this year failed to get a sponsor after Delta Beverages, through their Lion Lager brand, pulled out and this forced the league chiefs not to disburse the prize money from last season as they wanted to make sure games continued this season.
However, the money was not enough to cover for the entire season. Harare Sports Club are leading the pack, two points ahead of second-placed Old Georgians Sports Club who have 35.
Kanyangarara yesterday said they were hoping to have a winner at the end of the season.
“Our proposal, as the NRL committee, is that we use the current standings to determine the teams that will go on to play in the semi-final of the league because we have not managed to raise enough money to see us through to the end of the league season,” said Kanyangarara.
“We are engaging the clubs in this and we are sending out a communiqué to all the teams in the competition and we believe that by Wednesday (tomorrow) evening we will have the final say from both the committee and the clubs.” According to the current log standings, defending champions Old Hararians are in third place after suffering two defeats and winning six.
Matabeleland Busters are fourth with 26 points while Panthers are fifth and Busters sixth.
Kanyangarara knows time is not on their side, given that Zimbabwe is preparing for the Sevens Africa Cup tournament that usually comes at the end of the regular XVs season just a few weeks before Zimbabwe also travel to Port Elizabeth for the South Africa leg of the World Sevens Series.
With dates for the local Sevens Summer Series already set, the first getting underway on November 1, the second on November 8 and the final on November 15, the NRL are racing against time.
“Surely time is not on our side because we are already looking into the commencement of the Sevens season, the Africa Cup coming to Zimbabwe and the national Sevens team preparing for both the Africa Cup and South Africa tournament.
“But we need the clubs’ input in this thing because there are a number of issues that have to be covered, including the weeks to be used in selecting the teams that will go onto the knock-out stage,” said Kanyangarara.
Online Reporter