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Paul Munyuki Sports Reporter
NEWLY-ELECTED Zimbabwe Rugby Union president Nyararai Sibanda says he is his own man and would love to be remembered as a person who gave Zimbabwe rugby a home when his tenure comes to an end. “I would love to leave a legacy when my term comes to an end, and be remembered for getting Zimbabwe rugby a home with a high performance centre because at the moment we are relying on well-wishers,” said the towering Sibanda.

Sibanda, who was vice-president to John Falkenberg in the recent past board, yesterday morning beat former Sables winger and Under-20 committee chairman Aaron Jani 7-3 on votes at a heated annual meeting at Prince Edward School.

Representing the Northern Region and coming in as vice-president is former Sables manager and National Rugby League chairman Nody Kanyangarara who dismantled unheralded Joe Kawonza 10-2 while Tapiwa Mangezi comes in as the vice-president representing Southern Region after a 7-1 win over Theo Weale.

Having been in the system for the last four years as a deputy, Sibanda feels he can only add onto what the Falkenberg era facilitated for and he believes there is need to restructure a number of arms within the local rugby mother-body and make sure that the non-active provinces are constituted and active.

However, Sibanda says his immediate task would be to make sure that his board members are accustomed to his vision, restricting and setting up game growth facilities and policies.

“There is need for us as the board members first to restructure and understand ourselves and make sure that we are all going in the same direction so that we deliver on our goals as the Zimbabwe Rugby Union. There are quite a number of provinces that are inactive, the likes of Masvingo, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North; and there is need to get such provinces active and in terms of sponsorship, there is need not only to look at Zimbabwean corporates but approach that with a global mind-set because we also play abroad.

“Zimbabwe rugby is a cycle that needs revamping and re-energising and I would like to thank the rugby community for giving me a chance to lead the sport at this level, it’s a chance for us to write our own piece of history. As for the long-term plan, we will have to sit down as a new board and come up with a strategic plan for the 2019 World Cup and Africa Cup games, we have the Sevens teams in contention for the Olympics in the next two months and that is the closest competition we have,” said Sibanda.

Audited financial results for the year 2015 were not available with outgoing president Falkenberg indicating that the audit is “near completion” while chief executive Colleen de Jong, in her report, indicated that their partnership with Old Mutual has become the largest sports development fund in Zimbabwe.

“Our partnership with Old Mutual is the single largest investment into sport development in the country and Old Mutual have just extended their sponsorship for 2016. Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival remains the highlight of Zimbabwe schools rugby tournaments. Game quality and skills at all levels is improving and the Under-17 side remains Zimbabwe’s most successful (youth) team,” said de Jong.

The former vice-president feels there is more that still needs to be done in women’s rugby despite the fact that the sport has grown in numbers amongst the female participants as some clubs were not able to fulfil their fixtures.

“It was disappointing to note that many fixtures for the Women’s League were not fulfilled. Finding league sponsorship for both the A Leagues and B leagues has proven to be a huge challenge, many still perceive rugby as a minority sport but it has grown to be an all-inclusive game,” said de Jong.