adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Rugby Union have thrown in their bid to host next year’s edition of the Junior World Rugby Trophy. World Rugby competitions operations manager Simon Kibble was in the country yesterday and held a string of meetings with the Sports Commission, the ZRU and other stakeholders. He also inspected facilities likely to be used if Zimbabwe win the bid.
Kibble also visited health facilities, including the Avenues Clinic, hotels, venues, gyms and the Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival currently underway at Prince Edward.
He was in the company of ZRU chief executive Colleen de Jong.
According to ZRU general manager, Sifiso Made, Kibble believes Zimbabwe has some of the best facilities to host the annual tournament.
“He was impressed with the facilities we have here, the dates of the tournament are yet to be set but once all that has gone through, we will know when the tournament will take place,” said Made.
The Zimbabwe Under-20 side have not qualified for the JWRT in the last three years.
Namibia have been the dominant force and are also set to take part in this year’s edition of the tournament in Portugal.
However, Zimbabwe are this year hoping to qualify for next year’s tournament whose qualifiers are set for Harare in August.
Winning the rights to host next year’s competition would give them an automatic slot at the three-week long tournament.
The only African country to ever have hosted the JWRT was Kenya in 2009.
Russia hosted the tournament in 2010, Georgia in 2011 and the United States in 2012.
Online Reporter