Young Sables a hit in SA

20 Jul, 2014 - 02:07 0 Views

The Sunday News

Mehluli Sibanda in Middelburg, South Africa
ZIMBABWEAN junior rugby players who participated in the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week which ended yesterday at High Technical School Middelburg in Middelburg, South Africa were a sought after commodity at the tournament. During the weeklong event, those tasked with scouting out for talent for universities, South African rugby unions and player agencies set up camp at the event, which brings together rugby players from all of South Africa’s provinces as well as national teams from Zimbabwe and Namibia. Scouts were in abundance to identify players they could take under their wings and fine tune into future professional rugby stars. And Zimbabwean players got their fair share of scrutiny by these talent identifiers.

Skipper Stephen Bhasera, one of the two vice-captains Eli Snyman, wingers Brian Mhuriyengwe, Tawanda Ngosi and loose forward Daniel Nyamugama were some of the players who were approached by scouts from various institutions.

Most of the focus seems to be on 18-year old Bhasera from Falcon College in Esigodini, who weighs 115kg and stands at 1,81 metres. He is a perfect resemblance of Zimbabwe born current Springboks player Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira who was identified from the same tournament while turning out for Zimbabwe.

Bhasera confirmed that following Zimbabwe’s match against Griquas Country Districts, he had been approached by five scouts with the best offer that he got being a full bursary for his studies. The prop who wants to pursue law at university said he was going to consult his parents on which offer to take.

“I have been approached by five South African rugby unions, one of the offers is that of a full bursary. This is really reassuring as a player, I am going to decide with my parents which offer to accept. I want to be a professional rugby player one day,’’ said Bhasera.

Snyman said he has had four proposals from South Africa so far, two during the Easter holidays tournament in Johannesburg and the other two during the Craven Week. The St Johns College lock forward who stands at 2,01 metres, which made him one of the tallest players at the Craven Week and weighs 105kg, had been offered a contract with the Blue Bulls Under-19. The 18-year-old who wants to pursue zoology and conservation ecology studies said he is unsure for now which offer to accept and he would only make a decision at the right time.

“I have been approached by two South African rugby unions during the Craven Week, I had two other offers during the Easter tournament we played in at St Johns, Johannesburg. All the offers are linked to university studies, I want to study zoology and conservation ecology. At the moment I am undecided, I am going to make the call eventually,’’ said Snyman.

Nyamugama must have impressed with his powerful ball carrying skills displayed particularly against Griquas Country District.
Ngosi is one of the three players who were part of the team at last year’s Craven Week and showed some brilliance on the wing with some burst of speed which saw him score two tries in Zimbabwe’s first match against Eastern Province Country Districts. He is a target of the North West University whose rugby team Pukke played in the Varsity Cup losing in the finals to Cape Town’s Ikey Tigers.

Zimbabwe coach Godwin Murambiwa said there was nothing wrong with the local youngsters being targeted by South Africans scouts since the deals they were being offered were education linked which meant it eased the financial burden on their parents.

He said the boys will then decide if they wanted to play for the Zimbabwe Sables when they are grown ups.
Mtawarira, Tonderai Chavhanga, Gordon Pangeti and Brian Mujati were all identified by South African rugby unions at the Craven Week and went to play for the South African Springboks.

While Zimbabwe did not perform so well at the tournament, some of the Zimbabwean players like Bhasera could be donning the green and gold Springboks shirt in the near future which is something most of the youngsters at the Craven Week dream of.

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