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THE SHUMBAS . . . Mutare Sports Club rugby team, known as the Shumbas, now want to play in the Harare League

Fungayi Munyoro Mutare Correspondent
MUTARE’S sole top-flight rugby franchise, who have enjoyed a good run in the Inter City League, have now decided to join the Harare League following a long lay-off in the Inter City League.

Mutare Sports Club coach Mackenzie Munetsi, who once believed the lay-off was a blessing as some of his players needed time to recover after injuries, said his team were now going back to play with the Harare teams.

He added that all they now desperately need as a club is game time.

The Mutare side are currently sitting in second position in the Inter City League after a fine run that saw them winning all but one of their league assignments so far.

“The stoppage of the Inter City League has affected us positively and negatively. Our numbers are now coming down in terms of attendance.

“Players are no longer coming in numbers for training sessions.

“The momentum has been disrupted and it will take a bit of time to go back where the team was. It was now making sense to our Mutare fans, they were coming in their numbers to support us.

“Now that the league has stopped, we will lose some of the supporters and partners. The league was slowly opening doors for us in terms of sponsorship. We were having a lot of support from the local people and the business community.

“At first this lay-off had come as a blessing in disguise. We had many players who suffered various injuries. The break had been good enough to have the injured players get back on their feet. But we thought we would resume matches earlier.

“It is against this background that we have decided to go back to join the Harare teams. We understand they have started already and we will be joining them soon. All we want is to play rugby.

“We cannot just have training sessions for nothing. We will lose players if we keep on training them without giving them game time,” he said.

He saluted the two Mutare Sports Club players who have been included in the Cheetahs provisional squad.

Mutare Sports Club captain Gideon Muyambo and Dennis Museredza will be part of the Cheetahs provisional squad.

“We hope that the league continues. We do not want to be taken by surprise. We will be ready to continue with our good run. If it stops completely, we hope for the best next year.

“We will keep ourselves fit in the ongoing Harare League.

“For the players that have been selected into the Cheetahs provisional squad, I am very happy as a coach. I am always happy when I see my products being recognised at national level. The players are always recognised for their hard work.

“It always encourages others to work very hard,” he said.

Mutare Sports Club will join six teams based in the capital in the Harare League.

The teams include Old Georgians, Police Defenders, Old Johannes, Harare Sports Club, XP Horns and Old Hararians.