The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE born former Australian rugby captain, David Pocock has donated a signed Wallabies shirt for a Zimbabwe Sables auction that is aimed at raising funds for the team’s quest to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Pocock handed over the autographed shirt to one of Zimbabwe’s senior players, Hilton Mudariki who captained the Sables when they last played international rugby in 2019. The handover took place in Harare on Tuesday.
Pocock’s shirt and other items are being auctioned to raise funds for the Sables who are eyeing appearing at the Rugby World Cup for the first time since they last did so in 1991.
Sables team manager, Jason Maritz said the auction page is now live and those who wish to place bids can do so until 15 April. Other items up for grabs include weekend gateways, luxury gateway, private chef dinner, game drive, guided tour, signed Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira’s autobiography, signed rugby shirts for former England centre Brad Barritt and English Premiership side Exeter Chiefs.
David Pocock handing over signed Wallabies jersey to Hilton Mudariki
“The auction is online now and is live already, people just need to register on Sables Rugby Network and they register for the auction. People are able to go online and start bidding and lock their bids in. The auction will end around the 15th of April, we will do a live event with Dawson (Brendan) having a chat with everyone,’’ said Maritz.
Pocock is a Sables Rugby Network ambassador together with Zimbabwe born former Springboks, Mtawarira, Tonderai Chavhanga as well as ex England player Don Armand.
In December last year, Mtawarira and Pocock were named in World Rugby’s Team of the Decade, for the period 2010 to 2019.
Prop Mtawarira represented South Africa from 2008 until last year, with his biggest achievement in the green and gold being winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup with the Springboks in Japan. The 35-year old Harare born Mtawarira retired from international rugby in November 2019 having represented South Africa internationally 117 times since he made his Test debut against Wales at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on 14 June 2008.
Loose forward Pocock, who was born in Gweru and relocated with his family to Australia as a teenager played for the Wallabies from 2008 to 2019. He retired from the international game after the 2019 Rugby World Cup and walked away from all forms of rugby in October last year. The 32-year old Pocock had the privilege of captaining the Wallabies captaincy during the 2012 mid-season Test series when regular captain James Horwill was injured. – @Mdawini_29
