Zim trio join SA rugby BIG BOYS . . . St John’s College’s U-14 star-forward Nyasha Gumbo (with ball) strains under the challenge of Falcon College’s speedy centre, Thabani Jehiel “TJ” Maguranyanga, in a recent match at St John’s College
BIG BOYS . . . St John’s College’s U-14 star-forward Nyasha Gumbo (with ball) strains under the challenge of Falcon College’s speedy centre, Thabani Jehiel “TJ” Maguranyanga, in a recent match at St John’s College

BIG BOYS . . . St John’s College’s U-14 star-forward Nyasha Gumbo (with ball) strains under the challenge of Falcon College’s speedy centre, Thabani Jehiel “TJ” Maguranyanga, in a recent match at St John’s College

Sports Reporter
AS has often been the case in local rugby, the national game once again lost three of its budding talents to South Africa with the trio of Thabani Maguranyanga, Munashe Mhere and Nyasha Gumbo joining top schools from that country.

The moves come in the aftermath of the famous Craven Week festival where rugby scouts keenly follow the event and identify talent that could be harnessed at an early age.

After the 2015 Craven Week Under-13 tournament in South Africa’s White River City, Nelspruit, earlier this year, and hosted by Rob Ferreira High School, it has emerged that not less than three, hugely-promising players had “made the move”.

It has been an on-going exercise with local players securing deals or scholarships every year and Maguranyanga, son of former Warriors fitness trainer Gerald, Mhere and Gumbo have joined the trek to South Africa tracing the route that has been followed by such players as Tendai “Beast’’ Mtawarira and Tonderai Chavhanga.

World class forward Mtawarira and Chavhanga, reputed as the fastest rugby player on the globe, have gone onto play for South Africa as did the steely Brian Mujati.

And with the trio of Maguranyanga, Mhere and Gumbo still in their teens, it may be still too early to know whether they will abandon the Zimbabwe Sables and try their luck with the Springboks.

Takudzwa Ngwenya, an astonishing speedster, is a key player for the USA national 7s and 15s sides.

Australia’s powerful forward, David Pocock, sensational at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, was born and raised in Gweru.

About six other players from the Zimbabwean Under-16 and Under-18 age group squads are still finalising their nearly-done moves, which were still to be confirmed.

But for Falcon College pupil Thabani “TJ”, a switch to South Africa is now imminent.

A tall, powerful and speedy centre (who turned 13 on December 22), Thabani Maguranyanga has reportedly been courted by several top Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban schools and was still to finalise his choice of school, but The Herald has established it will be one of King Edward 7, the elite St. John’s College (Johannesburg) or Durban’s exclusive Hilton College who had all offered him an attractive scholarship.

His father, Gerald, although excited did not reveal much when contacted for comment.

“A sports scholarship is issued under strict confidentiality clauses. In any case, my son was very happy at Falcon College. He is only moving abroad because I have moved my family to South Africa,’’ said Gerald.

Gumbo of St John’s College is also a towering, strong lock for his age group, who also played for Zimbabwe at the Craven Week and has moved to an ambitious, top Johannesburg private school, St. Stithian’s.

The captain of the same age group, Mhere of St George’s College, had also moved to the same Johannesburg school, illustrating the extent of the unavoidable talent exodus Zimbabwean rugby has had to grapple with.

Local and international rugby analysts have, over the years, marvelled at the fantastic rugby talent churned out by Zimbabwean schools with the Dairbord festival a popular competition in and outside the country.

Sadly, most of the top players from the schools game have opted to try their luck with other national teams because Zimbabwean rugby, at senior level, has largely been in the doldrums.

The Sables, as had become typical, narrowly, painfully missed-out on a place at the 2015 Rugby World Cup jamboree in England.

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