Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
Not all rivalries are born of bad blood.
Sometimes, two sides agree to put camaraderie aside and trade blows in the spirit of competition.
That will be the case when Zimbabwe and Zambia clash this afternoon at Harare Sports Club’s Machinery Exchange Grounds in the opening match of the Zambezi Series.
The Zambezi Series is a tri-nation rugby contest featuring Zimbabwe, Zambia and emerging side Botswana. Fixtures will be played throughout May in home-and-away ties.
The Zimbabwe Sables host Zambia today and Botswana next weekend, before embarking on return trips to both neighbouring countries later in the month.
“I think it’s just important that we activate Test rugby regionally,” said Sables coach Piet Benade. “We are engaging the Botswana rugby union, since they are one of our nearest neighbours, and the Zambians are a competitive team.
“Their local league has been running for some time now, so we’re expecting a tough couple of games against them. Last year, we managed two wins, but both were within five points, especially the away game in Zambia. I think we snuck that one in the last play of the match.”
For Benade, the series offers a crucial opportunity to assess his local-based players before finalising his squad for the Rugby Africa Cup.
This year’s Rugby Africa Cup, set for July 7-21 in Uganda, serves as a two-year qualification pathway for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup.
The winner of the continental tournament will automatically qualify for the global showpiece.
Last week, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union announced a 40-man squad for the Zambezi Series, with Benade sticking to a largely home-based ensemble.
“I think it’s very important that we provide pathways for local players to play Test rugby,” he said, explaining his selection strategy. “We do have a number of foreign-based boys who’ll be in contention come June and July, but many are still active in the French leagues.
“However, this shouldn’t stop us from playing. The local boys need to take responsibility. We also learned a lot last year when some top players were recalled by their clubs just before the Rugby Africa final in Uganda.”
Benade’s approach has effectively turned the Zambezi Series into an audition, and one eager to impress is Junior Sables graduate and winger Trevor Gurwe.
Gurwe last featured for the Sables in the 2023 Rugby Africa Cup and on the tour to the Middle East and South Korea.
The backliner, who alternates between wing and fullback, scored a brace in Zimbabwe’s 29-3 win over Algeria in last year’s Africa Cup final.
Now 22, Gurwe is determined to cement his place.
“I’ve been working on my game for years, but last year’s Africa Cup campaign was a turning point,” he said. “Test rugby is nothing like our local club games. You need to understand new systems and more importantly, trust them and your teammates.
“Getting to the World Cup isn’t easy. The competition starts within the team. Only the top performers get picked. No position is guaranteed, just like last year. And as a backline player, you’ve got to be good enough to play at least two positions.”
As for today’s opponents, Gurwe warned against underestimating the Zambians.
“Zambia are not an easy opponent. They’ve levelled up every time we’ve met. It really is a battle of the Zambezi now, and a win against the African champions means even more to them than before,” he said.
“I like that we’re not loud about our preparations. What matters is what we deliver, especially for the players. You can tell the guys are taking it seriously, eating better, working out individually, even when no one’s watching.”
Gurwe hopes to write his own chapter in the Zimbabwe-Zambia rivalry one try at a time.
“I love scoring tries and creating them,” he said. “It’s addictive and I hope I can bring some magic to the team by scoring boatloads of them.”
Online Reporter