Four-team playoff for NRL

03 Feb, 2019 - 00:02 0 Views
Four-team playoff for NRL Losson Mtongwiza

The Sunday News

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
FOUR teams are currently engaged in playoffs to determine which ones will be part of a six-team National Rugby League being pushed by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union.

The four, Old Hararians, Southern City, Mutare Sports Club and Gweru Sports Club will play each other this month with the top two at the end of those matches to be part of the NRL.

OH played have already played Chitungwiza based Southern City, a match the Old Boys won 74-7 at home.

ZRU vice president, Losson Mtongwiza said they were forced to have playoffs as teams like Southern City as well as Gweru Sports Club felt that they should be part of the national league and they ought to be given a chance to prove that they do deserve to be there.

“We are doing playoffs, we want to come up with the top six in the country. There are some that feel that should be part of the top six, we are giving them an opportunity.

The next round of fixtures will take place on Saturday with the rest of the matches to be played in Chitungwiza, Gweru and Mutare up to the end of this month. ZRU are assisting all the four teams with logistics.

It is envisaged that the six team national league will start in March with the teams to play one full round of fixtures before a Zimbabwe select team will be chosen to represent the country in South Africa’s SuperSport Rugby Challenge.

The locally based players will be mixed with those playing club rugby in South Africa for the SuperSport Rugby Challenge, which is meant to ensure that Zimbabwe field a strong team in this year’s Rugby Africa Gold Cup.

“We are looking to start the league in March. We are looking to have one full round of matches before the SuperSport Challenge. Locally based players will be mixed with those in South Africa for the SuperSport Challenge,’’ said Mtongwiza.

Harare Sports Club, Old Georgians, Matabeleland Warriors, Old Miltonians are already guaranteed to be part of the new look national league.

The country last had a national league in 2014 when the NRL was abandoned with only nine matches being played.

Delta Beverages who had sponsored the NRL using their Lion Lager brand decided not to renew financial support to the league when the sponsorship ended in 2013.

— @Mdawini_29

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