adminFaith Mutema Sports Reporter
OLD Johannians Rugby Club manager Rodger Woodward was unanimously voted as the new chairman of Harare Provincial Rugby Association. Woodward was elected at a meeting at Prince Edward School last weekend. He replaced Tunga Mashungu from Old Hararians who vacated office together his deputy Blessing Chitaure when their term of office lapsed.
Woodward will be assisted by Paul Gosho of Mufakose, who comes in as deputy chairman, with Police Defenders administrator Crispen Katogu as the new secretary.
“My main priority is to stabilise the running of the game in Harare Province and to do so we need an effective and committed board,” said Woodward.
“Together with the board we hope to bring structures to the sport and the next step is to tap into the huge amount talent that leave school every year.
“I hope by continuing the Under- 21 league this will encourage more school leavers to retain interest in the game. The previous board did not manage to increase the number of rugby players and I am hoping that we target all areas in Harare to raise more talented players which will see the province regaining their top position in Zimbabwe.”
He also emphasised the need to have a national league in the country.
“We have already begun discussions with ZRU vice-president Nody Kanyangarara about the establishment of the national league and we are yet to go over the logistics. I hope to have a strong league system feeding into the national league.
“Our main challenge, of course, is finance.
“We have the talent and the people willing to make it happen on the ground but costs like transport to fulfill fixtures are sometimes impossible to overcome.
“Hosting teams have added costs so the money made at the gates is usually used to cover these expenses leaving the clubs with little or no money,” he said.
Online Reporter