Zimbabwe has been invited to participate at the inaugural South Africa Schools Craven Week for Sevens Rugby set for next month in the North West Province.
The tournament to feature provincial clubs Bulls, Border, Griquas, Leopards and Namibia will run from October 5-7 at Konka Stadium.
Former Sables great Andy Ferreira, a member of the 1991 Sables World Cup squad, will coach the side and will be assisted by former Sables flyhalf Garry Hewitt with Steve Macdonald being the team manager.
Zimbabwe Rugby Union general manager Grant Mitchell said they will have the future in mind when they take part in the tournament.
“This (tournament) will provide the platform for the 2013 IRB World Cup in Russia and 2016 Olympic qualification through the development of the younger sevens player(s) in Zimbabwe. It will also strengthen the local player base and increase the mentality and focus of players striving for national team honours,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell added that the squad has already begun preparations for the tournament and coaches are working with provisional list of 18 players.
“There were scheduled zonal trials around the country over a number of Wednesday afternoons towards the end of the second school term.
“A squad of 18 players was selected and this was cut down to a final training squad of 16 on completion of day two. The selection panel consisted of National Sevens team players who worked under the convenor of selectors,” he said.
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Zimbabwe has been doing well at schools rugby in the longer version of the game in which they have been champions of Africa on three occasions.
Currently they are the African champions and will be representing the continent at the Junior World Rugby Trophy, likely to be played in North America next year.
They will be hoping to transform their dominance in the longer version of the game to the shorter version.
The senior sevens team has been on the rise and will be hoping to groom a squad that would play in the qualifiers of the 2013 IRB World Cup.
