THE Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-18 girls’ rugby team has set the bar very high for fellow national junior sides set to take part in SA Rugby Youth Week tournaments starting next week after winning all their three matches at the SA Rugby National Girls U18 Week which ended yesterday in Welkom, Free State.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
The Zimbabwean schoolgirls built on their victories against Griquas (39-5) and Blue Bulls (5-0) in the opening two days by delivering another impressive attacking performance in their 20-15 victory over Boland at the North West Stadium.
Yesterday’s victory meant the girls’ rugby team finished fourth on the 16-team table behind top-placed Western Province, Border and Free State respectively on points difference.
Zimbabwe and Western Province were, however, the only two teams to finish the tournament unbeaten.
The focus will now shift to the Old Mutual Zimbabwe Under-13 and Under-16 school teams, who will be in action in the U13 Coca-Cola Craven Week and Grant Khomo Week to be held at Grey College in Bloemfontein, South Africa, from Monday to Friday.
The Zimbabwe Under-16 side will take on giants Free State in the main match of the day after the Under-13 side start their campaign against Border Country Districts in the opening match of the tournament.
After next week’s participation by the Under-13 and 16 sides, attention will shift to the Under-18 sides, who are scheduled to take part in the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week and Academy Week tournaments to be hosted by St Stithian’s College in Johannesburg from July 3 to 22.
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Zimbabwe will this year field an additional national select junior side in the Academy Week, which runs concurrently with the U18 Craven Week tournament, as part of Zimbabwe Rugby Union’s efforts to broaden the country’s player base.
Before the inclusion of the Academy side, Zimbabwe has in recent years fielded four national junior teams in the SA Rugby Youth Weeks tournaments — the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week, the Grant Khomo Week for the Under-16 sides, the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week and the U18 Girls Youth Week.
All teams are sponsored by Old Mutual Zimbabwe as part of their broad sponsorship of local schools rugby, covering development of teams in disadvantaged communities, tag rugby as well as provincial and national select sides.
