The ManicaPost
Fungayi Munyoro Sports Correspondent
MUTARE Sports Club rugby team left Mutare on Wednesday morning for South Africa to take part in the11th edition of the annual Raymond Mhlaba National Heritage Rugby tournament. The tournament kicks off today (Friday) and ends on Tuesday next week.
The Shumbaz, as Mutare Sports Club is fondly known, is the first team from outside South Africa to participate in this prestigious event.
Event facilitator Tafadzwa Mwangolela confirmed the participation of MSC.
“I am a Mutarean and I will continue to support Mutare. I was inspired when MSC visited Zambia last year. So we sought for a possible platform for them in South Africa. There are many platforms in South Africa but I was looking for a developmental platform, a platform with like minded teams, this is where the Raymond Mhlaba Heritage Rugby Tournament comes in.
“This is the platform which we identified as the best. The tournament is being hosted by the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in conjunction with department of Sports Recreation, Arts and Culture and Fort Hare University.MSC is the first team from outside South Africa to participate in this tournament,” he said.
Manicaland Rugby Board chairman Josiah Borerwe welcomed the development adding that it would bring the invaluable experience by competing against players from South Africa.
“It is good exposure to our players. International matches help players gain much needed confidence on the field of play. Some of our players might be scouted by South African teams and it is a platform for our players to showcase their talent so that they may get scholarships and many opportunities that might arise.
“We are also looking at twinning with South African teams and clubs so as to enhance our performance in terms of playing, coaching and sports administration,” said Borerwe.
The Heritage tournament is the brain child of Xhanti Lamani who was the manager of club rugby at South Africa Rugby Union.
The tournament was introduced in 2008. It takes place in September which is the heritage month in South Africa. The tournament is divided into three section namely Under-19, women’s sevens rugby and senior men’s rugby.
There will be 32 senior men’s teams, 12 women’s teams and 12 Under-19 teams participating.
Last year a total of 42 teams were in attendance.
