The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
DONNING the green and white Zimbabwe Sables jersey is something that will bring a smile to his mother’s face, but Lovejoy Chawatama is yet to make up his mind.
The 25–year-old Chawatama is on the books English Rugby Union outfit London Irish and can choose to play for either the Sables or the Three Lions.
The former Watershed College student, who moved to the United Kingdom when he 15, featured for the England Students team but his close associates say he is yet to decide on his international future.
“He knows that playing for Zimbabwe will certainly make his family happy, especially his mother who has always wanted him to keep his roots. But it is also clear that the guy is eligible to represent England, too, so a decision will have to be made because choosing the Sables means that the Three Lions door will be closed.
“However, Lovejoy is yet to get to that stage because right now his focus is on club rugby as well as furthering his education,” said a family source.
Chawatama, a Construction and Management student at the University of West England, has been making waves in the English Premiership since making his debut on December 22, 2017.
He has planted three tries and was in the thick of things when London Irish recently thumped Russian side Krasny Yar 47-17.
Chawatama scored a try as his team came from 7-10 down to win the match.
“It’s never easy to break into a Premiership squad and when you do you have to work hard to stay in the team and that is what Lovejoy is doing, working hard every day to become a better player.
“He is enjoying his game but also talks a lot about Zimbabwe and how he can help improve the game back home.
“He might have been here for over a decade now but the boy remains a son of the soil,” added the family member.
After moving from Zimbabwe to the UK, Chawatama played in the back row at Beckenham RFC.
But standing at 1,79cm saw Chawatama being told that his height would prevent him from playing at the highest level.
He immediately switched to a forward position — a move he does not regret.
“I played the last three games of the 2012 season at prop for Beckenham, loved it and haven’t looked back and still can’t believe I was selected (Kent) so quickly after moving from the back row,” Chawatama told the Rugby Paper.
At the start of the 2017-18 season, the front-rower joined London Irish from London Welsh where he had made 13 appearances, including a Championship outing.
At his unveiling ceremony, Exiles director of rugby Nick Kennedy said: “Lovejoy is an excellent acquisition and he really complements what we currently have in the forward pack.”
