The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporter
The hugely anticipated and re-branded Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival rolls into action tomorrow albeit with yet a few more changes.
Traditional hosts Prince Edward High School will this year share hosting duties with neighbours Allan Wilson.
The venture is part of a “new direction” the festival is taking following the coming on board of Dairibord Zimbabwe (Private) Limited as the main sponsors.
The listed food processor takes over from Cottco who bankrolled the festival for the past 15 years. Organisers believe having two venues will increase excitement and encourage growth
Festival director Sebastian Garikai was all confidence as he gave a detailed account of the new direction the festival will be taking.
“The festival is not changing but growing, hence this year’s theme is simply titled growth.
“The change is in the name only as we welcome Dairibord into our family, but everything else is growing and not changing.
“PE will share hosting duties with Allan Wilson, but we will be using the usual five fields which will be shared between both schools,” he said.
Last year’s festival made the headlines because of events away from the pitch, with reports of school pupils boozing and engaging in all kinds of deplorable behaviour.
Garikai says there will be no room for such delinquency this time around.
“We have addressed some of the challenges from our previous editions like security, wayward behaviour and parking,” he said.
“Alcohol has been banned and anyone seen consuming or selling alcoholic beverages will be arrested. “
At least 168 schools have confirmed their participation.
Three international teams — Botswana Under-19 national team, Nebang’a College and Windhoek Technical College — are expected to add a foreign flavour to the festival.
The main match, to be played on Saturday, will this time be a local affair as it pits reigning Super 8 champions Peterhouse against hosts Prince Edward.
Dairibord Zimbabwe marketing manager Sandra Dodo said her company is excited to be part of the festival.
“We are very excited to be part and parcel of this glamorous event. Rugby is a sport that we believe is very organised hence our involvement in it.
“As a company we want to raise the bar both from an organisational standpoint to the action on the ground and I am very proud of the work our committee, which has been working night and day over the last four months, has done.
“I implore everyone to come and enjoy the festival as we have everything for everyone,” she said.
The festival runs from tomorrow until Saturday.
