×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Cloete returns to local rugby

Sport
FORMER Zimbabwe international rugby player David Cloete will make a return to local rugby after being included in the Red Seal Old Georgians’ first team squad for opening leg of the SPAR/Lion Lager Summer Series at Old Hararians Sports Club today.

FORMER Zimbabwe international rugby player David Cloete will make a return to local rugby after being included in the Red Seal Old Georgians’ first team squad for opening leg of the SPAR/Lion Lager Summer Series at Old Hararians Sports Club today.

Report by Daniel Nhakaniso

Cloete, who has been based in Australia where he featured in the Super 15 franchise Western Force’s development squad, has been training with the Groombridge-based side during the offseason.

The highly talented flyhalf is well-known in local rugby circles for his impressive kicking in his Sables debut in 2005 when he famously scored all of the Sables points from the kicking tee in their 21-15 victory over Senegal in a CAR Africa Cup match at Prince Edward School.

Prior to his international debut, Cloete was a very exciting player in the schools system and was part of the Peterhouse School squad which included Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira which won the Inaugural Schweppes League Competition in 2003.

After stints in South Africa and Australia, Cloete’s return to local rugby will come as a major boost to the domestic league and should he impress, it will also be a matter of time before he regains his place in the Sables squad.

Old Georgians coach Grant Mitchel told NewsDay Sport in an interview yesterday that he was excited by the return of the highly talented flyhalf.

“We are very excited that David has made a return not only to Zimbabwe, but to Red Seal Old Georgians as a club and to local rugby. “I have had a few sessions with him and his ability and discipline is great. He has responded well to what has been asked of him and he will fit in well with the Red Seal OGs rugby culture.

“We are looking forward to his input on and off the field this year. His competition with our other young recruit in Boyd Rous will be good to watch within our own training systems,” said Mitchel. Boyd Rous, who has been based in the UK, was also named in the Old Georgians squad and makes a return to the side after featuring in the SPAR Summer Series last year.

The new additions in the Old Georgians squad are expected to add more firepower to a star-studded side that also includes local stars such as skipper Jacques Leitao, Fortune Chipendu and Kuda Chiwanza and Farai Jijita.

The Groombridge-based side is, however, expected to be given some stiff competition from rivals Harare Sports Club — who are also expected to field a formidable side in the competition.

Teams: Red Seal Dragons 1, Red Seal Dragons 2, HSC 1, HSC 2, Old Hararians, Airforce, Mbare, JB, Police, Mabvuku, Mutare, Mufakose.