ZIMBABWE head coach Pieter Benade has praised his side’s effort and resilience after a 40–0 defeat to South Africa ‘A’, saying the performance offers valuable lessons as the team turns its focus to the World Rugby Nations Cup.
Playing in the curtain-raiser at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, the Sables faced a relentless, youthful South African second-string side.
Six unanswered tries from Yaqeen Ahmed, Markus Muller, Haashim Pead, Nico Steyn, Imad Khan, and Jaco Williams gave the hosts a comfortable victory.
However, for a rebuilding Zimbabwe side embarking on its preparations for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia — marking their first appearance at the global showpiece in 36 years — the historic fixture was less about the scoreboard and more about invaluable exposure.
Speaking after the match, Benade praised his squad for rising to the physical challenge against one of the sport’s powerhouse structures.
“We are just trying to get the best out of anybody as a coach. You want to get people as near their potential as possible. So for our group to be playing against the SA A team, it's certainly a stretch fixture for us. I can't be more proud of the effort that the boys put out there. They can be proud of themselves. We understand that there is a gap,” Benade said.
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“This is obviously one of the best rugby set-ups in the world. So for us to be able to share a field with them is an honour. The boys ramped it up physically and they put up a good show. We obviously have things to work on, but I think for us certainly there are more positives than negatives. Being part of a day like this is very special for Zimbabwe.”
Despite the 40–0 scoreline, the Sables did not disgrace themselves, earning praise from SA ‘A’ coach Mzwandile Stick for their resilience.
Benade noted that his team’s ability to withstand sustained pressure from a highly clinical, professional outfit was a massive step forward, particularly given the composition of his squad.
“Look, we had to play against a tempo, accuracy, and physicality that we have not matched yet. A number of our backs are amateurs — they are not paid to play rugby; they have jobs that they do. So for us to get exposed to that tempo, and to a certain extent, we coped in phases, that is a big positive. We we were able to keep the South Africans out for long cycles. So there are positives that we will hold on to there, and then just the general attitude of the boys.“Once a win is off the table, you can collapse or you can continue fighting. We saw the correct picture as a coaching staff. Hopefully, the people watching could see that there was enough fight in the boys for us to build on.”
Looking ahead, the Sables have a packed schedule designed to bridge the competitive gap. The team heads to the United States next month for the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup, kicking off their campaign against Tonga on July 4, before facing the USA and Canada.
Benade highlighted the significance of World Rugby’s investment in the tournament and expressed hope that the relationship with South African rugby would continue to grow.
“We’ve got a big advantage over the previous; let’s say, Africa 2 team, in that World Rugby has invested in the Nations Cup. So Zimbabwe against Tonga, USA and Canada in July — that’s probably where we are headed. We would get a couple more bodies on the ground, that being the Test window. So this is very important for us. Obviously, we are hoping to add value to South African rugby. As we get value, we extract value for ourselves. Hopefully, the South Africans found it a worthwhile investment and that we can continue this in the future.”
The Sables’ squad is also set for a significant boost in quality and depth as key personnel return to the mix just in time for the July Test window.“We’ve got Cleopas Kundiona, Jason Fraser, and Ian Prior, who has got off work now. So those are boys that are coming for the Nations Cup. We’ve five or six guys that will add some depth to our team. But saying that, it was great for the boys on the pitch to get that exposure and hopefully build some depth for the future,” Benade said.