Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE term “main character energy” describes an individual who acts or thinks they are the central figure in their own story.
It often comes off as arrogance, but it is easily mistaken for radiating confidence in one’s ability and possessing loads of charisma.
And Zimbabwe Under-20 rugby winger Shamma Jackson fits that mold to the tee.
Right now, the former Peterhouse sprint king stands on the cusp of a life-changing decision as he has a standing offer from the Johannesburg-based rugby franchise Lions, while he has the desire to pursue a career in engineering.
“It’s been one of the highs of my career so far, getting recognised by Lions and the franchise asking me to join their squad,” said Jackson.
“There is still a long way to go before anything concrete has been put to paper; there are still some processes to be done.
“However, I am holding to hope and I have faith that, God willing, the move will go through.”
In fact, the 19-year-old is no stranger to making hard decisions as only two years ago he was a bright prospect on the athletic field and later went on to disappoint many when he switched to rugby full-time.
For Jackson, the sport and the rugby pitch, in particular, are his therapy.
The pitch is his safe space.
“Yes, rugby has always been my first love but I used to also do a little track and was pretty good at it,” he said.
“I even made it to Zim athletics, back in 2023, setting a couple of records in the 400-metre race at the St George’s and Lomagundi invitational meets.
“I think I broke the hearts of my athletics coaches when I decided to drop the sport and concentrate on rugby,” he said.
“It was an easy decision, however, as the rugby is a form of therapy for me and I can shut out the noise or anything going on in my life when I am on the park.”
Jackson has a more pressing issue, that is, next month’s Barthes Trophy.
As one of the season players in the junior Sables setup, Jackson knows all too well the importance of the upcoming tournament.
The Barthes Trophy, slated for April 17 to 27, offers a chance at redemption for both coach Shaun De Souza and his Junior Sables.
This comes on the backdrop of last year’s disappointment where Zimbabwe lost it to Kenya 28-13 in the Barthes Trophy final on home soil.
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) have since been handed the rights to host this year’s competition and first refusal for the 2026 edition.
Jackson, like many of his peers, is over the moon.
“I have been preparing myself mentally and physically for this year’s Barthes Trophy for quite some time,” he said.
“We suffered a devastating loss to Kenya last year and it is a game we should have won. We had the numbers as fans came out in full force to support us and we disappointed them when we lost to Kenya.
“Playing at home again will give us a chance to redeem ourselves.”
Jackson believes he has gone through some growth, gaining a lot of insight as to where the team actually lost it.
“We didn’t play for each other last time around, as everyone wanted to shine and that last pass in the opposition’s final third was missing,” he said.
“We have done a lot of reflection, talked it over as a squad and I believe we are on course for a better showing. The mental aspect is still missing but that can be rectified in the coming weeks.”
While the Barthes Trophy is still some weeks away, the Zimbabwe Under-20 squad is not short of any action.
Only yesterday, members of the extended squad took part in the Paramount Under-20 Rugby League final that saw Pitbulls put their undefeated streak up against Old Hararians.
The team regroups today and is expected to travel to Bulawayo for a friendly match against the Queensland Outback Barbarians’ Under-20 team on Wednesday.
The Zimbabwe Under-20 extended squad will then be divided into two teams, Junior Sables and “Grassroots to Greatness” team, for next month’s Nedbank Rugby Challenge.
The local pre-season tournament is slated for March 29 to April 5.
