Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
AN extended 45-man squad has been announced as the Zimbabwe National Under-20 Rugby side kicks off preparations for the Junior World Trophy set for Kenya in July.
The Junior World Trophy will be held from the 15th to the 30th of July in Kenya with Zimbabwe set to face Uruguay, Scotland and the winner between Canada and the United States of America in Pool A.
The Young Sables qualified for the global tournament after winning the Barthes Trophy last month.
The technical department has named an enlarged 45-men squad that includes foreign-based players who were not part of the Barthes Trophy campaign.
“From the start, we were planning on the double so now going into the Junior World Trophy we need to work our condition,” noted Young Sables coach Shaun de Souza.
“The competition has gone a level higher, so we need to be ready.”
“We have also included those players in universities and academies outside Zimbabwe to add to the competition because most of them were not available due to school commitments,” he went on.
The team is set to regroup this Wednesday and has four scheduled friendly games against Manicaland Select, Harare Sports Club, Old Hararians and Harare Sports Club senior sides.
The Young Sabes are also hoping to face the South Africa under-20 academy side in their final preparatory match before they take on Scotland on the 15th of July.
The government pledged to bankroll the team’s World Cup campaign when the Young Sables met President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House last month.
