Story by Reynald Ngwarati
The stage is set for an intense showdown as the Junior Sables clash with their Kenyan counterparts in the final of the 2024 Rugby Africa Barthes Cup at Harare Sports Club this Sunday.
A few hours before the fate of the Barthes Trophy is determined, Zimbabwe and Kenya are working flat out to clinch the continental honors at Harare Sports Club this Sunday.
While the Junior Sables hope for a three-peat on home soil, the Chipu of Kenya are also bracing for the clash and are confident that they can upset the fate of last year where they lost to Zimbabwe in the final.
Chipu sent a strong message of intent as they massacred Tunisia on Wednesday, but will have the torture of last year to deal with as dusk closes in on Africa’s premium junior rugby event.
“The scores have boosted our moral in the camp, we do have a very good bunch of boys so we remain confident. The score helps when you have boys of this age, it lifts their spirits and now they all are giving in,” said (Kenya U20 coach Simon Jawachre.
Meanwhile, 120 schools from Malawi, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge for the Mwana Group International Schools Rugby Festival at Prince Edward, beginning this Sunday.
Preparations for the tournament are at an advanced pace, with organisers saying the platform is set to make Africa a hub of rugby talent.
“It’s very exciting, not just for our school, but the coming schools as well because there is a different kind of rugby in every school and every country. Some are playing the running game, some are playing the tackling game, physical game etc, so when they are coming here they show us their flavor, we also show them our flavor and then we cross pollinate, which is good for the development of rugby across the world,” said Mwana Group Chief Executive Officer, Kudakwashe Mutenda.
The tournament which begins this Sunday, is set to be officially opened on Monday, and will stretch until the 4th of May.
