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Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
IT was a momentous occasion for the Zimbabwe Rugby Union on Thursday night as the Sables received just the tonic they needed ahead of the start of their 2019 World Cup qualifying campaign, with big corporates coming together to pour over $1,5 million worth of sponsorships

Local mining giants Zerttew Resources led the way, splashing $1 million to become the Sables headline sponsor.
In a landmark development that underlines the extent to which Aaron Jani’s new leadership at ZRU has been embraced by the corporate world, the domestic rugby family, business executives, players, administrators and the game’s other stakeholders gathered at a restaurant in Harare to witness the unveiling of the national team’s various sponsorships packages with more still being sourced.

The Sables are seeking to end a 27-year wait to return to the World Cup stage and will begin their campaign with a home clash against Morocco in June.

Jani and his executive have made qualification for the global rugby fiesta their main priority, with the Harare business executive wasting no time in luring highly-regarded former Springboks coach Peter De Villiers to take charge of the Sables.

On Thursday night, captain Denford Mutamangira and his troops received a massive boost in their bid to win the Africa Gold Cup, which will earn them the ticket to represent the continent at the World Cup showcase in Japan.

With the Sables Trust, led by prominent lawyer Gerald Mlotshwa working round the clock to secure sponsors and partners, the national team have found out that they are not walking alone in their quest for glory.

Zerttew Resources, a subsidiary of Zerttew Holdings – an international exploration and mining resources development group, founded by a consortium of global professionals with headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe, with representative offices in Johannesburg – being their headline sponsors.

“Zerttew aims to sustainably create value for stakeholders by facilitating the development of Africa’s unlimited potential in natural resources.

“Zerttew operates via a consortium of subsidiary entities, each with a focused mandate and manned by a specialist team of chosen experts. As Zerttew, we strive to empower and engage the communities we operate in, through strategic alliances such as integral enterprising and social entrepreneurship, building of schools, hospitals, water reticulation projects, roads and power systems.

“As mineral development and beneficiation is our core business, we focus on the development of mining communities as we view them as our support system. Our aim is to see these communities thriving well after our activities have ceased,’’ reads the company’s portfolio.

Zerttew have now set their sights on empowering the Sables in a massive corporate tag team that also includes Portnet International, Mlotshwa’s Titan Law, and international sportswear company Canterbury, who have become the official kit sponsors of the Zimbabwe team.

Sables Training squad:
Shingi Katsvere
Takudzwa Kumadiro
Ngoni Chibuwe
Fortune Chipendu
Gabriel Sipapata
David Makanda,
Kudzai Mashawi
Linience Tambwera
Denford Mutamangira
Tapfuma Parirenyatwa
Zee Khupe
Godfrey Mangenje
Tapiwa Mafura
Tafadzwa Chitokwindo
Dylan Baptista
Riaan O Neil
Mathew Mcnab
Justin Zietsman
Brandon Mandivenga
Hilton Mudariki
Peter du Toit
Njabulo Ndlovu
Biselele Tshamala
Michael Botha
Connor Pritchard
Jannie Stander
Johan Stander
Jan Ferreira
Farai Mudariki
Cleopers Kundiona
Sam Garnet
Sam Phiri
Nick Holdon
Simba Mandioma
Takudzwa Mandiwanza
Eli Snyman
Nyasha Tarusenga
Brian Mantanga
Sanele Sibanda
Ian Prior