Don Makanyanga
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has challenged the senior rugby national team — the Sables — to promote the country’s image, tourism and investment prospects at the on-going 2025 Rugby Africa Cup in Uganda.
The President also handsomely rewarded the Sables with a massive US$100 000 cash injection that should spur them to defend the Rugby Africa title they won in the same country last year.
Speaking when he met members of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union secretariat, some players and technical staff at State House in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the Sables’ participation on the international arena makes them brand Ambassadors of Zimbabwe, tasked with promoting the country’s image and interests.
“Your participation in the international arena, the Sables, automatically makes you brand ambassadors of Zimbabwe.
“I therefore challenge you to utilise this role as sports diplomats to promote our country’s image, tourism and investment prospects under our engagement and re-engagement policy,” he said.
This year’s edition of the Rugby Africa Cup is also doubling as the continent’s qualifier for the 2027 Rugby World Cup scheduled for Australia and the President’s token is a timely boost for the Sables as they look to face Kenya in the semi-final on Sunday.
Only the winners of the competition secure automatic qualification to the World Cup.
President Mnangagwa also congratulated the Sables for their quarter-final triumph over Morocco, who they thumped 43-8 in the tournament opener on Tuesday.
He challenged captain Hilton Mudariki and his troops to fly the country’s flag high at the tournament.
“As you embark on your journey to qualify for the World Cup, may your executions yield great success for our country.
“Go out there and make Zimbabwe proud. We wish you all the best of luck. Go, go Zimbabwe. Go Team Zimbabwe. I have prepared monetary tokens to assist you in your preparations,” said President Mnangagwa.
With Zimbabwe being the defending champions of the Rugby Africa Cup, the President said he is happy with the growth of the sport in the country.
“My Government is impressed with the growth and development of rugby, not only in Zimbabwe but on the continent as a whole.
“The Africa Rugby Cup Championships will see eight African rugby powerhouses competing for top honours.
“It is a platform that provides an opportunity to ascertain Zimbabwe’s performance on a continental scale. I want to congratulate you, the Sables, for the victory against Morocco earlier this week.
“This achievement is pivotal as we continue our journey to reposition and refocus our sporting delivery systems, which is a critical part towards an excelling sporting nation, which Zimbabwe is becoming,” said President Mnangagwa.
ZRU chief executive officer Sifiso Made described the incentive from President Mnangagwa as key in their quest for qualification.
“We have been requesting for and we are so grateful to His Excellency and the Government for supporting us.
“This will go a long way in ensuring that the team is motivated. Now they know that they can feed their families and of course put something in their pockets.
“It’s a great incentive for them and we are so grateful for this opportunity. We are going to a semi-final against Kenya, and for the team to know that there is something coming for them, that we support them, it is always encouraging.
“We always say that we play sports and we play for Zimbabwe first and foremost but it’s always nice to know that there is an incentive behind it to allow us to get over that line,” said Made. The winner of the Zimbabwe against Kenya match will face the winner of the other semi-final pitting Namibia against Algeria in the final.
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