Sports / Local
Sables to end World Cup wait
26 Mar 2021 at 05:50hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE are making a serious play to be involved in their first Rugby World Cup of the professional era, having made their two previous appearances in 1987 and 1991. We catch up with the Sables camp to find out why the mood is so optimistic.
Zimbabwe's Brendan Dawson is supremely confident he can join a select band of individuals who have played and coached at a Rugby World Cup.
Totemic figures of the sport like John Kirwan and Martin Johnson, to name just two, have achieved the feat and Dawson has already come close to emulating them once before in 2015.
Dawson, a leading member of the Sables squad that made the last of their two tournament appearances in 1991, was coach of the team when they missed out on the Africa 1 slot to Namibia at England 2015 by a single point.
Now, with Dawson back in charge of the Sables for a second time, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union are leaving nothing to chance, in their quest to ensure the national team will be a part of Rugby World Cup 2023.
A first-class coaching team to support the former back-row has been put in place and the Union have reached out to the Zimbabwean diaspora for help through the formation of the Sables Rugby Network.
Dawson is being assisted by Liam Middleton (backs/defence), Danny Hondo (strength and conditioning), Graham Knoop (lineout), Alice Randall (physio) and Jason Maritz (team manager).
Zimbabwe-born David Pocock, the sole Wallaby in World Rugby's Team of the Decade, has been in contact to offer support with breakdown coaching, while input from fellow countryman, England international Don Armand and Adrian Garvey, a team-mate of Dawson's in 1991, has helped to "bring confidence and increase the credibility of the programme," according to Maritz.
Meanwhile, Jason Robertson, a prolific point scorer in Major League Rugby with Old Glory, and Tapiwa Mafura of the Free State Cheetahs in South Africa are among a clutch of overseas players to pledge their allegiance.
"A lot of guys are wanting to put their hands up and make themselves available, so I believe we are in a position of strength for one of the first times," said Dawson.
"Having the opportunity to play in a World Cup is massive; it's the dream, it's the ultimate of any international rugby player to represent your country at a World Cup."
Zimbabwe's head-turning Victoria Cup win in 2019, when Kenya and Uganda were both beaten en route to lifting the trophy, helped to show the world that Zimbabwean rugby was on its way back and in with a realistic shot of qualifying for its first Rugby World Cup tournament of the professional era.
"Winning the Victoria Cup was a great boost for us; it kind of got us noticed again," said Maritz.
Zimbabwe's Brendan Dawson is supremely confident he can join a select band of individuals who have played and coached at a Rugby World Cup.
Totemic figures of the sport like John Kirwan and Martin Johnson, to name just two, have achieved the feat and Dawson has already come close to emulating them once before in 2015.
Dawson, a leading member of the Sables squad that made the last of their two tournament appearances in 1991, was coach of the team when they missed out on the Africa 1 slot to Namibia at England 2015 by a single point.
Now, with Dawson back in charge of the Sables for a second time, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union are leaving nothing to chance, in their quest to ensure the national team will be a part of Rugby World Cup 2023.
A first-class coaching team to support the former back-row has been put in place and the Union have reached out to the Zimbabwean diaspora for help through the formation of the Sables Rugby Network.
Zimbabwe-born David Pocock, the sole Wallaby in World Rugby's Team of the Decade, has been in contact to offer support with breakdown coaching, while input from fellow countryman, England international Don Armand and Adrian Garvey, a team-mate of Dawson's in 1991, has helped to "bring confidence and increase the credibility of the programme," according to Maritz.
Meanwhile, Jason Robertson, a prolific point scorer in Major League Rugby with Old Glory, and Tapiwa Mafura of the Free State Cheetahs in South Africa are among a clutch of overseas players to pledge their allegiance.
"A lot of guys are wanting to put their hands up and make themselves available, so I believe we are in a position of strength for one of the first times," said Dawson.
"Having the opportunity to play in a World Cup is massive; it's the dream, it's the ultimate of any international rugby player to represent your country at a World Cup."
Zimbabwe's head-turning Victoria Cup win in 2019, when Kenya and Uganda were both beaten en route to lifting the trophy, helped to show the world that Zimbabwean rugby was on its way back and in with a realistic shot of qualifying for its first Rugby World Cup tournament of the professional era.
"Winning the Victoria Cup was a great boost for us; it kind of got us noticed again," said Maritz.
Source - World Rugby.
