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Grace Chingoma-Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Rugby Union chief executive Sifiso Made says the automatic qualification of the Zimbabwe Under-20 national team for the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy finals shows that rugby’s development structures in the country are working.
He believes that this current team has the potential to qualify for the Rugby World Cup in 2027.
The Zimbabwe Under-20 national team booked a berth at the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy finals on Wednesday when they stormed into the final of the Barthes Trophy final currently underway in Kenya.
The convincing 60-6 semi-final victory against Tunisia meant defending Barthes Trophy champions Zimbabwe and the hosts Kenya have secured automatic places in the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy finals scheduled for July in Kenya.
Kenya beat last year’s finalists Namibia 24-13 in the other Barthes Trophy semi-final match on Wednesday.
The Barthes Trophy final is on Sunday and the Young Sables are well on course to retain it. Zimbabwe have been making a mockery of their opponents in Nairobi starting with their 55-0 demolition of Cote d’Ivoire in the quarter-finals.
And coach Shaun De Souza’s troops look like they will only stop after they lift the African trophy again. After all, they promised President Mnangagwa that when they were hosted at the State House before their departure for the Barthes Trophy.
De Souza said they are now focusing their attention on winning the Barthes Trophy against hosts Kenya on Sunday.
“We will analyze the videos and see what works well and what went wrong then we will analyze our opposition for the final the plan accordingly.
“We had rested three players who were undergoing rehabilitation from knocks versus Ivory Coast. So we will regroup and work towards the final,” said De Souza.
By virtue of winning the semi-final on Wednesday, the Zimbabwe Under-20 team has been placed in Group A for the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy that will be held in Kenya from July 15 to 30.
The Young Sables are in the same group as Scotland, Uruguay, Canada or USA.
The World Rugby Under-20 Trophy is the second tier competition, below the main competition the World Rugby Under-20 Championship which is also returning for the first since Covid-19 and will be hosted in South Africa from June 24 to July 2023.
The best 12 nations, including the hosts England and others, will participate in the Championship in Cape Town and the Western Cape in South Africa.
And ZRU chief executive Made says the Junior Sables’ structures put in place by the association for development of the age-group teams are beginning to pay dividends.
“Our development structures are working, our schools’ structures are working and now we are seeing the fruits of it, after age grade we are now going to open rugby and the Under-20 system and the pathway that we have is working for Zimbabwe and in particular rugby,” he said.
Made commended the support that they have been getting from the Government and the corporate world.
President Mnangagwa pledged financial support for the team that had a budget of US$150 000 to prepare for the Barthes Trophy as well as the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy finals in three months’ time.
“It is a great achievement to stakeholders to support this team, support our dream and these boys will take us to the Rugby World Cup 2027.
“We have done the nation proud by going through to the finals.
“Winning the final means that we remain African Champions but also now means that we have automatically qualified for the World Rugby Under-20 trophy that will be held in Kenya.
“This means that the support we have been getting from the stakeholders, from His Excellency (President Mnangagwa), from the Ministry through the SRC, and we can only appeal and continue to appeal to the Government.
“Surely, if we support teams, especially Under-20s, we have nothing to lose but can actually vie for a place in the 2027 World Cup,” said Made. On Wednesday against Tunisia, Zimbabwe had a masterful display which saw them plundering 10 tries from six different players while conceding none, for the second game running.
Edward Sigauke, Muzuva Gutu, Simbarashe Kanyangarara and the impressive Alex Nyamunda scored a brace of tries each while Brendon Jameson and Tanaka Chinyanga also touched own late on in the game.
Young Sables Squad
Forwards: Happias Zhou, Gary Zisengwe, Stanley Muranganwa, Vincent Chimwendo, Muzuva Gutu, Halger Muchenje, Tadiwa Chinwada, Gealan Jaricha, Tanaka GondoMukandapi, Huntley Masterson, Tawanyasha Bwanya, Ngobile Manyara, Bryan Chiang, allan Mawunga, Leo Mutendi, Tanaka Ndoro.
Backs: Panashe Zuze, Brendan Marume, Dion Khumalo, Brendan Jameson, Shadrick Mandaza, Benoni Nhekairo, Tanaka Chinyanga, Panashe Mugorogodi, Simbarashe Kanyangarara, Alex Nyamunda, Edward Sigauke, Taonaishe Mapani.
Online Reporter