Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO is set to host a schools rugby festival at the city’s ceremonial home of rugby, Hartsfield Rugby Grounds, from March 31 to April 1.
The festival, sponsored by Pony Club Investments, will be the first in 2023 after the previous year was closed on a high note with another fiesta, the Unforgettable Rugby Festival. The tournament will attract teams from around the country and across the borders.
The teams that are expected to take part include, Milton Elephants, Churchill Bulldogs, Botswana Under-19 Vultures, Western Suburbs Panthers, Christian Brothers College (CBC) Hornets, Lomagundi Bisons, Plumtree Amabhubesi, Wise Owl, Alan Wilson Sables and Petra Spartans.
Bulawayo Select head and development coach Ruben Kumpasa said they are looking forward to the festival as they seek to revive the sport and have it played in as many schools as possible in the city. He added that the festival will help improve the sport in the city.
The local Under-20 league is set to be wrapped up this coming week after five weeks of high-end rugby and Kumpasa believes the Bulawayo boys will perform well as they have had the right preparations from the league.
He added that it has always been unlikely to have a rugby festival coming in soon after a league and it will prove good for the players. The final fixtures and times of the festival are yet to be announced by Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board (BMRFB) and are expected to be in soon.
More festivals are expected to take place this year after 2022 ended on a high note with the Unforgettable Sevens Rugby Festival where schools, women, men (both senior and junior) teams took part. – @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter