Tough Africa Cup draw for Zimbabwe Sables

Zimbabwe's ambitions of ending their three-decade absence from the Rugby World Cup will be tested to the limit this July when they compete in the Rugby Africa Cup, which doubles as a qualifier for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. The tournament, set to take place in Uganda from July 20-28, has seen the Sables drawn into a challenging Pool A alongside Morocco, Kenya, and Uganda - some of the continent's most formidable teams.

The stakes are high, with the tournament winner securing an automatic ticket to the World Cup, while the runners-up will face an arduous repechage qualifier for another chance to advance.

Zimbabwe will kick off their campaign as the defending champions and top seeds by virtue of winning last year's Africa Cup. Their journey begins at the quarter-final stage against Morocco, who earned their spot in the top eight after defeating Tunisia 26-12 in a decisive repechage final on Sunday. The winner of Zimbabwe's clash with Morocco will face the victor of the East African derby between Kenya and Uganda in the semi-finals.

The Sables' skipper, Hilton Mudariki, acknowledged the challenging road ahead but remained optimistic about Zimbabwe's preparations. Speaking after the draw, Mudariki congratulated Morocco on their qualification and expressed confidence in Zimbabwe's ability to navigate the competition.

"First and foremost, congratulations to Morocco for winning their final [Repechage] and booking their ticket to Uganda for the Africa Cup main tournament," said Mudariki. "We know that they are a quality team, with some very good players. They are predominantly a France-based team, so we know they will be a tricky opposition for us to come up against."

Zimbabwe last faced Morocco in Harare in a closely contested match that ended in a 22-22 draw. With this history in mind, Mudariki emphasized the importance of preparing thoroughly and studying their opponents. "The good thing for us is that we now know who we are playing and have the opportunity to analyze their game and see which areas we can exploit," he added.

Looking beyond Morocco, Mudariki highlighted the potential challenges of facing either Kenya or Uganda in the semi-finals. "We know that both Uganda and Kenya are very good teams, and their match-up is going to be pretty brutal and fierce," he said. "Our main focus will be on Morocco and making sure we get past that hurdle."

Morocco's path to the Rugby Africa Cup was anything but straightforward. After dominating Botswana 64-0 in their opening group match and defeating Madagascar 53-37 in the group final, they secured their spot in the repechage final. Against Tunisia, Morocco showcased their resilience, taking a narrow 14-12 lead into halftime before extending their advantage in the second half to claim victory.

Now, as Morocco joins Africa's elite eight, they pose a credible threat to Zimbabwe's World Cup aspirations. Their France-based roster brings experience and flair, making them a formidable opponent in the quarter-final clash.

Meanwhile, Pool B features another powerhouse, Namibia, who will face Senegal in their quarter-final match. Algeria and Côte d'Ivoire round out the pool, squaring off in the other last-eight encounter.

With Zimbabwe determined to reclaim their place on the global rugby stage, the Africa Cup promises intense battles and high stakes. The Sables' journey to Australia 2027 starts with navigating their way through this fiercely competitive tournament.

 Quarter-final draw:

Zimbabwe v Morocco

Uganda v Kenya

Namibia v Senegal

Algeria v Cote d'Ivoire