Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOLLOWING the conclusion of the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday, former Zimbabwe national rugby union players have stressed that the arduous journey towards the global showpiece must commence without delay.
The Sables, Zimbabwe’s national team, were slotted into Pool F of the World Cup, alongside former winners England, Wales, and Tonga. The draw was a hugely significant moment for Zimbabwean rugby, marking their return to the biggest stage for the first time since 1991. After years of fighting through adversity, the last couple of seasons have witnessed a revitalised Zimbabwean side, evidenced by back-to-back Africa Cup titles in 2024 and 2025.
This success firmly establishes them as the continent’s second-best team, sitting just behind the Springboks.
However, despite enjoying unbeaten streaks throughout 2024 and 2025, the World Cup is an entirely different proposition, and a significant amount of work is still required.
Former Sables eighthman Silethokuhle “Slater” Ndlovu believes that while the World Cup will be anything but easy, with sufficient preparation, which he insists must start now, the team is capable of grinding out results in the group stage and could potentially reach the knockouts.
“It’s not an easy group that we got. Against a big team like England I don’t think we stand a chance, they have been around for a very long time. I know Wales recently got 70 from the Springboks and people might think they are a small team but they are not, it will be tough, it won’t be easy but we can try and cause an upset. During our time as players, we used to beat Tonga in Sevens but 15s they were different.
They are tough in 15s, we need to give our very best, it’s not an easy group. We need to start preparing now so that we have a strong squad when we reach 2027,” said Ndlovu.
He added that the opportunity to play in the global showpiece will likely spur many players of Zimbabwean heritage to express interest in representing the Sables.
“We don’t know who is going to be playing at the World Cup at the moment. But you will see a lot of players coming in, it’s the biggest showpiece in the world and everyone wants to play. But I’m certain, we will surprise someone,” he said.
Another Zimbabwean rugby legend, Ruben Kumpasa, shared similar sentiments, asserting that if the players put in the necessary effort, they will be able to achieve positive results. Kumpasa identified next year’s World Rugby Nations Cup, in which Zimbabwe is scheduled to participate, as a crucial stepping stone towards preparations for the World Cup.
“It’s a very fair group, if we throw in the work we should be able to get a win. The Nations Cup is a good opportunity for us to play against the big boys so that we see where we are falling short and what needs to be done ahead of the World Cup. The Nations Cup comes at a right time for us. I think we should be able to get a win between Wales and Tonga,” said Kumpasa.
The Nations Cup kicks off in July 2026 and is specifically designed to sharpen teams heading into the expanded 24-team tournament Down Under.
The competition aims to give unions already qualified for the World Cup meaningful Test rugby during the key July and November international windows, helping them bridge the gap with the sport’s established powers.
It forms a core part of World Rugby’s wider international calendar, with its key pillars being driving performance gains and revenue growth. It is intended to provide teams with a clear, regular platform to compete, maintaining links with the top-level Nations Championship while offering a deep narrative for nations outside the major annual competitions.
Zimbabwe will join Canada, Chile, Georgia, Hong Kong China, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Tonga, Uruguay, the USA, and Samoa in the Nations Cup.
The 2027 World Cup will be the largest tournament in the sport’s history, featuring 24 teams battling for the Webb Ellis Cup. In previous tournaments, dating back to the 2003 edition, there were traditionally 20 teams divided into four pools of five, with the top two teams from each pool progressing straight to the quarter-finals. In 2027, the tournament will introduce a new structure featuring a Round of 16 as the first knockout stage.
The competition will have six pools with four teams in each. The top two teams from each pool will progress to the Round of 16, while the four best third-place teams will also qualify. These four teams will be determined first by competition points, followed by point difference, and then try difference, to decide which sides make it out of the pool stage.
-@ brandon_malvin
