Women rugby star nominated for honours

Augustine Hwata Sports Reporter
UNHERALDED Zimbabwean rugby player Marcia Muzudza has been nominated for a top accolade at the University of Limpopo in South Africa where she has been shortlisted for the Women’s player of the year award.According to the coach of the University of Limpopo’s women’s rugby team, Prince Magiya, the awards will be presented on Saturday at the institution.

Muzudza, who is now in her final academic year, started playing rugby after joining the tertiary institution and now hopes to even break into the national team, the Pangolins. Apart from turning out for the university side, Muzudza also plays for top provincial side, the Limpopo Blue Bulls.

“At the college, I use her in the backline but the coaches at her club Limpopo Blue Bulls prefer to field Marcia as the number eight.
“I think she is very comfortable in all the positions and she also played at the Currie Cup final in East London on September 21. Now Marcia has been nominated for the Chancellor of the University’s Sports Awards set for Saturday.

“I think being just getting the nomination is a big achievement for the player,” said Magiya.
Muzudza is not the only unknown Zimbabwean making waves in rugby in South Africa as she also plays in the same team with Linda Ziki and Lillian Chikwizo.

“The three players form the core of my women’s team at the university and I believe with time, they could play for the national team.
“Ziki is rather slow in her moves but she is a good forward while Lillian is a centre.

“Interestingly the trio also plays for the Blue Bulls, which is one of the top women’s clubs in the province. Unfortunately, Chikwizo did not play at the Currie Cup because she was in the University Sports Association of Africa sevens’ rugby team.

“During her time at the university games, Lillian was selected among the top 12 sevens rugby university players,” said Magiya.
Next week, Magiya and his team will be playing at an invitational tournament where he once again believes the Zimbabwean trio will hold their own.

“We should be playing University of Johannesburg, University of Venda and a club called Nkownkow in an invitational tournament,” Muzudza said.