The Sunday Mail
Sports Editor
DESPITE having comprehensive guidelines for a safe return of the sport, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) and their members have to wait longer for the game’s resumption following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
The second wave of the deadly coronavirus prompted the Government to introduce the Level Four lockdown, which subsequently led to a suspension of all sporting activities by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).
Yet the ZRU, which had set qualification for the 2023 World Cup and reviving development structures as their major priorities for 2021, have been pegged back and forced to suspend all their plans.
ZRU president Aaron Jani told The Sunday Mail Sport that although players, coaches, and referees were itching for a return to action, as were administrators and the spectators, the nature of their game meant they would have to brace for a long wait.
Jani acknowledged that while more than a year of inactivity was taking its toll on some players and other stakeholders, the union was cognisant of the fact that the Government’s move to suspend sporting activities was “in the best interest of everyone’’.
He said although they had applied for funding from Rugby Africa to ameliorate their situation, the continental body is yet to release any financial assistance.
There are, however, indications it will parcel out about US$300 000 to distressed unions, including Zimbabwe.
The amounts each country could receive have not been revealed.
Jani said the ZRU continued to strategically position the sport through initiatives such as the Sables Campaign that are meant to ensure they hit the ground running once it becomes safe to resume.
The union has also cleared its legacy debts.
“No funds have come through from Rugby Africa for the return to rugby and we don’t know how much will be allocated to us. There are procedures required to access these funds and so far we have put through our applications as per requirement.
“The reason why we have not started the season is largely because we are ranked as the highest risk sport for Covid-19 as per SRC scales since it is a contact sport.
“We have tabled our plans and requests to partially begin to safely return to rugby and the SRC is still considering those requests. It is encouraging that cricket and golf have been given the green light,’’ Jani said.
Clearing their debts, he added, had helped the union focus more on development strategies.
“Debts have been fully paid. The union is now debt-free. Our aim is to now focus on the development of the game.
“As for the Sables, we made requests to play Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, and Namibia, financially assisted by Rugby Africa, and all those countries turned us down.
“We have also applied to SARU (South Africa Rugby Union) for inclusion in their domestic competition. That application is pending because of the second wave of Covid-19, which has also hit South Africa.”
The ZRU had initially received the go-ahead to resume rugby activities by SRC’s director-general Prince Mupazviriho on October 7, 2020.
The ZRU medical committee then prepared a comprehensive “Return to Play Guidelines’’ dossier that addressed issues such as screening and testing, including the World Rugby education modules and principles of preventing the spread of Covid-19.
But for all their ambitions, the ZRU would have to wait and hope that current measures to contain the second wave of the coronavirus are effective.
The union’s management could, however, use the time to undertake more comprehensive education campaigns for all their members across the country.
