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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Rugby Union have expressed their satisfaction with what turned out at last Sunday’s Indaba where solutions were sought on the problems inhibiting the success of the game in the country with a similar event now planned for Bulawayo early next month.
Stakeholders gathered at the ZRU offices in the capital city last Sunday to try come up with answers to the problems bedevilling rugby in the country.
Kisset Chirengende, a former national junior rugby team player mooted the idea of an Indaba on social media following the poor show by the Sables this year which only saw them beat lowly Papua New Guinea at last month’s Hong Cup of Nations having lost to Russia and the host nation. Prior to that, the Cyprian Mandenge coached Sables had lost all the three matches they played in the Africa Cup Division 1A.
With the theme “Shaping the future of Zimbabwe rugby’’, the Indaba had presentations from the ZRU leadership, main sponsors Old Mutual, national team coach Mandenge, representatives of clubs as well players.
Nyararai Sibanda, the ZRU president said they got some astute inputs from the Indaba with plans to hold another such event in Bulawayo and other parts of the country in 2017.
“For a start, it was insightful, we are planning one for Bulawayo on 7 January. The things that came out is what we had on the radar largely, talent pipe identification and player welfare,’’ said Sibanda.
ZRU vice president Noddy Kanyangarara said immense contributions were made during the gathering with the next meeting set for the country’s second largest city.
“Some great ideas and contributions came out, next stop is Bulawayo,’’ Kanyangarara said.
The year 2016 was a horrible one for the Zimbabwean rugby on and off the field. The Sables finished bottom of the four-team Africa Cup Division 1A log with three losses in any many fixtures against Kenya, Uganda and Namibia.
They were meant to be relegated from the elite group but a decision by Rugby Africa has seen them survive in an expanded Division 1A for 2017.
On the sevens rugby front, the Cheetahs failed to qualify for the Olympics and went on to put up a dismal show at the Africa Cup in Kenya.
Their pathetic display in Kenya saw the Cheetahs for the first time in years fail to book a place in the World Rugby Sevens Series South Africa leg and they are also not going to Hong Kong next year, a tournament where they stand a chance of being a core member of the main circuit.
Uganda won the Africa Cup which has seen them participate in the Dubai and Cape Town sevens.
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Bongani Ndlovu