The Sunday Mail
Petros Kausiyo
Sports Editor
IT was just the tonic coach Brendan Dawson and Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) president Aaron Jani had been yearning for, as the Sables look to end their 30-year wait to return to the World Cup.
Last week, Nedbank took a giant step in helping Dawson and Jani achieve their dream when the bank injected US$120 000 into the Sables 2023 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Jani might not have attended the signing ceremony at Old Georgians Sports Club, where his deputy Losson Mtongowiza and chairperson of the Sables Trust Colleen de Jong stood in for him, but there was no mistaking the level of enthusiasm that greeted the move by Nedbank to touch down with a timely financial boost for the team.
Dawson and his men will move a gear up in their preparations for the African edition of the World Cup qualifiers with back-to-back clashes against Zambia in Harare this week, before they also meet Namibia and then travel to South Africa for a date with provincial outfit Blue Bulls.
Yet both coach, who has captained and coached the Sables, and his boss Jani — himself a former Zimbabwe international – have been telling anyone who cares to listen that the senior team has the potential and talent to scale World Cup heights.
It has always been the duo’s contention that with the right support from all stakeholders, the Sables have it within their pedigree to bounce back to the World Cup scene.
Zimbabwe last appeared at the World Cup when the global rugby showpiece rolled into London, England, and Australia’s Wallabies ran out 12-6 winners over the hosts at Twickenham Stadium.
Since then, the Sables have had to live in the shadows of Namibia in the African edition of the qualifiers.
An air of optimism that they could just make the cut for the 2023 World Cup in France has, however, been swirling in their camp .
Nedbank executive head for sales and origin Heresy Herry reiterated their commitment to help the team realise their dream, adding they were also keen to help ZRU unearth more talented players around the country.
“As Nedbank Zimbabwe, we are totally elated to be part of this experience where we plant a modest investment into Zimbabwe Rugby Trust . . .
“One of the best ways to identify with our community is to invest in areas where their passions lie,” he said.
“This small gesture is us extending our partnership, and also extending our hand so that the ends the Zimbabwe Rugby seeks can be accomplished.
“As you (ZRU) embark on a journey to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, we want to be front and centre in terms of making that possible . . .
“Ultimately, we also aspire to see rugby growing; we need to see more in the formally marginalised communities.
“I am sure we would like to see the next Tendai Mtawarira coming out of Mpopoma, Nkulumane or even coming out of Mkoba in Gweru.
“That is our aspiration as Nedbank.”
ZRU’s pedigree, he added, had played a huge part in influencing their decision to invest in the team.
“I was just looking at the last World Cup and we had Tendai Mtawarira. He is a product of the structures that are coming out of Zimbabwe.”
“We anticipate that at least we are going to get the next couple of Tendai Mtawariras, Tonderai Chavhangas through this very noble initiative.
“That is our aspiration; that is our prayer.”
Scrumhalf, Mudariki, also knows the significance of winning for the Sables’ brand to remain attractive to corporate partners, and pledged that his troops would put their full weight in their quest.
Dawson, charmed by the shift his players have been putting in training, said he was confident they can go all the way.
“I can’t ask for anything more. These guys have been extremely brilliant, they are all focussed, they want to make it work and they all want to ensure that we qualify and they are all working hard every day, from the gym in the morning down to the field,’’ Dawson said.
