Ex-student donates equipment to Milton High School

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
MILTON High School have produced a number of rugby players who have gone on to represent the country at international level.

Players such as Brendan Dawson, Wesley Mbanje, Vusumuzi Ndebele, Theodore Weale, David Banda, Nkathazo Ndlovu, Mbekezeli Ndiweni, Aubrey Dube, Takura Madamombe, Norman Mukondiwa, Bernard Mukondiwa, George Savada, Lucky Sithole, Lloyd Machanjaira, Tafadzwa Manyimo, Honeywell Nguruve, Lou Corbi, Mike Micklesfield, Brian Beattie, Chris Rogers, Ronnie Hill and Sanele Sibanda started off their rugby careers at Milton.

Dawson, Beattie and Ngurube were part of the Zimbabwe team for the 1991 Rugby World Cup, the last time the Sables made it to the tournament.

Over the years, the rugby standards have drastically gone down at Milton with even the first team not playing their matches at home as the ground is not suitable. It was with delight when the school received a donation of rugby equipment from Consha Enterprises, a mining and gold buying company owned by former student Shasha Gomez.

The school received on Monday, four tackle bags, six ruck shields, 26 rugby balls and a kicking tee. Still to be delivered by the same sponsor are the playing kit, warm up T-shirts, walkabouts, tracksuits, bags and caps.

Gomez presented the first consignment to the school headmaster Similo Ncube, his deputy Malusi Mazibuko, sports director Tendai Machawira, teacher in charge of rugby Lovemore Mangwiro and first team rugby coach Jafet Ndebele.

Consha Enterprises said they thrive to be an active participant in uplifting the communities in which they operate in, that is why they made the donation to Milton. The owner of the company was a scrum-half during his playing days. He spent one year at Milton in 2010 with most of his high schooling done at Christian Brothers College.

“Gomez has a strong passion for rugby and a deep desire to support the community. He is a former rugby player himself and takes a keen interest in developing and growing the sport. Due to this, he has donated and sponsored rugby kit and equipment to Milton High School and has dedicated himself to contribute to help young boys reach their full potential in sport,’’ Consha Enterprises said.

It is hoped that the kind gesture from Consha Enterprises can inspire revival of the sport at Milton. The Elephants are preparing to take part in the annual Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival at Prince Edward in Harare. Some of the fixtures they are looking forward to next term are the matches against CBC, Falcon College, Plumtree and Churchill.