The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
A new-look as well as bigger Zimbabwe Rugby Union Intercity League is scheduled to kick off on Saturday with an assortment of fixtures lined up on the day.
During a meeting convened in Kwekwe last Saturday for clubs, it was concurred that that the Intercity League, formerly National Rugby League kick off on 14 April while talks on likely joint ventures carry on. The rebranded league will have 11 teams, these being Mutare Sports Club, Harare Sports Club, Gweru Sports Club, Old Miltonians, Old Hararians, Old Georgians, Old Johanians, Western Panthers, Matabeleland Warriors, Police Defenders and Police Bulldogs.
On the format to be used for the Intercity League, ZRU said the teams will play each other twice with the top four teams going into the semifinals then the winners heading into the final. The league will be played over 24 weeks, 22 being for round robin then the rest for the playoffs.
“The rebranded and expanded Zimbabwe Rugby Union Intercity League is set to kick off on the 15th of April with an array of derby fixtures taking place. At a clubs meeting held in Kwekwe on Saturday 1 April, clubs agreed that the league will kick off while discussions for possible partnerships continue,’’ reads part of the statement sent out by ZRU.
At the end of the 2017 season, ZRU said the bottom three teams will be demoted but there will not be any promotion with eight teams to make up the structure in 2018, which is aimed at making the league competitive. The relegated teams will take part in the proposed Intercity Division Two League. According to the opening fixture schedule, Mutare Sports Club are at home against Gweru Sports Club, Matabeleland Warriors clash with Police Bulldogs in one of the two matches lined up at Hartsfield Rugby Ground on the day with the other featuring OMs and Panthers. Two matches are at Harare Sports Club where the home team entertain OGs while OH meet OJs.
During its peak between 2011 and 2013, the NRL played massive part in preparing various national teams to compete in international tournaments. The country’s flagship national rugby team, the Sables rose in world rankings between that period and almost qualified for the 2015 World Cup. It is for this reason that ZRU believe that the reintroduction of an Intercity League is essential not only for the national teams but the game in its entirety.
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