Sables out to break 25-year jinx

Zimbabwe's senior men's rugby team, the Sables, will be seeking to break a 25-year home jinx when they host arch-rivals Namibia in a Test match at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday.

The match, scheduled to kick off at 3pm, offers the Sables an opportunity to end a long wait for a home victory over Namibia, having last beaten their neighbours on July 7, 2001, with a narrow 27-26 win at Hartsfield in Bulawayo during the Confederation of African Rugby Championship.

The encounter carries added significance as the current Sables squad, made up entirely of locally based players, prepares to play at the iconic National Sports Stadium for the first time. A strong home crowd is expected to provide the team with a memorable atmosphere.

Namibia are also the opponents Zimbabwe defeated to secure their return to the Rugby World Cup after a 36-year absence. The Sables beat Namibia 30-28 in the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup final in Kampala, Uganda, securing qualification for the global tournament for the first time since 1991.

Sables head coach Pieter Benade said the clash would be more than an ordinary friendly, given the history between the two teams and the significance of playing at the national stadium.

"Welcoming Namibia, our big Southern Hemisphere and African rival, will be a huge highlight because we have not beaten them in our country for 25 years, so it will certainly be a big match that our boys are up for," Benade said.

He added that the venue would make the occasion particularly special for the players and supporters.

The Sables will be without at least eight international players, creating opportunities for locally based stars to stake their claims for places in the team as preparations intensify for next year's Rugby World Cup.

Benade said the team had spent three weeks playing internal matches to improve combinations and cohesion, with progress evident each week.

"The preparations have been going on well. It's been amazing being able to get the local boys just on the pitch," he said.

"We have had three weeks of internal matches, trying to sharpen the boys up; it has been baby steps forward every week, and we have seen improvements."

Zimbabwe will, however, be without towering second-row lock Kudakwashe "Goofy" Nyakufaringwa, who is continuing his recovery from a knee injury.

The Namibia Test forms part of the Sables' preparations for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, where Zimbabwe have been drawn in a challenging pool alongside England, Wales and Tonga.

The Sables will open their campaign against Wales at Adelaide Oval on October 2, 2027, before facing England at the same venue on October 8. They will conclude their pool matches against Tonga at North Queensland Stadium in Townsville.

The expanded tournament will feature 24 teams for the first time, with a round of 16 giving qualifying teams an additional opportunity to advance beyond the pool stage.

For the Sables, Saturday's encounter presents both a chance to end their long home drought against Namibia and an important test of the depth and readiness of the squad ahead of their return to rugby's biggest stage.