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Ray Bande Mutare Bureau
MUTARE Sports Club, whose fine run in this year’s Intercity League was disturbed by the abrupt stop of the season about a month ago, are pinning their hopes on the newly-appointed National Rugby Union interim committee for the resumption of action in the league. They were in second position when action in the league came to an abrupt halt and they are keen to have matches resume given their fine run.

Minister of Sports and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane announced the composition of the new interim committee to run the game following the dissolution of the previous board on allegations of incompetence.

“The Committee’s tenure shall not be more than six (6) months and may be renewable subject to the demands of setting the Zimbabwe Rugby Union on a functional trajectory,’’ Hlongwane said.

“The newly-appointed Interim committee members of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union are as follows: Russel Karimazondo as interim president, with board members Tungamirai Brighton Mashungu, Sithembelenkosini Sibanda, Judith Chiyangwa and Bongani Zamchiya.’’

It is against this background that the Manicaland Rugby Board chairman, Josia Borerwe, told The Herald they are pinning their hopes on the newly-appointed national rubgy leadership for the resumption of league.

Borerwe said the only rugby franchise based in Manicaland, Mutare Sports Club, are eyeing a Gold Cup slot and it is a feat achievable given the blistering form in which they showed in their campaign in the Intercity League.

“We now have a newly-appointed National Rugby Union interim committee that will be in office on an interim basis for the next six months and we hope that they will also consider the resumption of the Intercity League matches.

“As Manicaland, we would have loved to see the league match continue from where we left because we believe we have reasonable hope to go all the way to fight for a Gold Cup place in the play-offs where the top four teams will feature.

“Therefore, our hope is on the new National Rugby Union interim committee to consider the resumption of the Intercity League.

“We are fully aware of the fact that they have their mandate which needs their undivided attention but we strongly believe that the resumption of the league will also go a long way as an immediate rugby development initiative,” said Borerwe.

However, his Harare counterpart Roger Woodward was singing from a different hymn book.

“It does not look like there is going to be anything this season. We are waiting to hear from the newly-appointed National Rugby Union interim committee but I do not see them putting up things together and seeing the resumption of the league anytime soon.

“As Harare, our focus is already on next year and we are also informed by the idea that the new National Rugby Union interim committee has a mandate to put their house in order to hand over to a new executive in six months time hence there might be no time for them to come up with measures to see the resumption of the Intercity League,” said Woodward.