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Petros Kausiyo in CAPE TOWN, South Africa

ZIMBABWE Rugby Union president Aaron Jani has rallied the Sables to use their Currie Cup experience to effect and ensure they win the Africa Cup for the nation and secure a berth at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The Sables, who were trading as the Goshawks completed their Currie Cup First Division campaign with a 26-16 defeat by Valke at Wynberg Boys High School on Saturday.

Coach Brendan Dawson and his men will now head to the Netherlands via France today, where they will play a first ever Test against the Dutch in Amsterdam on June 25.

It will be their last competitive game before they plunge into the eight-team Africa Cup, tourney scheduled for Marseille in France from July 1-10.

Winners of the Africa Cup will then secure an automatic ticket to the World Cup, which will also be hosted by France next year.

Jani has been in Cape Town along with Sables Trust chairperson, Colleen de Jong, ZRU director of rugby Godwin Murambiwa and chairperson of the technical committee head Bright Chivandire to see off the Sables and also attend the Africa Cup squad announcement gala.

The ZRU boss believes that qualification for the World Cup would bring with it immense benefits for the national game including a US$1.5 million cash injection from World Rugby that could channelled towards development.

Jani noted that featuring at the global showpiece is every player’s dream and rallied the 31 players that have been included in Dawson’s squad to wear the “national colours with pride and play for the badge’’.

The Goshawks have spent the last 12 weeks camped in Cape Town where they played nine games, won three and lost six. As they revert to their Test identity, Jani, a former Zimbabwe international, said the union and their corporate and individual partners had done their part to ensure adequate preparations for the Sables by exposing the players to the rigours of Currie Cup competition.

Zimbabwe have been failing to qualify for the World Cup since their last appearance at the 1991 showcase in England.

Dawson was a member of that elite class at the 1991 World Cup where he scored a try, albeit, in a 55-11 defeat by Ireland.

 “The message to the players was very simple… and what I said to them was that you have come a long way and you have put in so much effort and so much resources have been put through you and the whole country is behind you and it is now time to deliver and bring the trophy home,’’ Jani said.

He also expressed the union’s happiness in securing a maiden participation for the team in the 10- team Currie Cup in which rivals Kenya also took part against some South African provincial and club sides. “As the Zimbabwe Rugby Union we are very excited that we have managed to fulfil the mandate of the Currie Cup and right now what we are looking was to ensure that we gave the technical committee enough opportunity for them to have a look at all the possible players that would be available for us to represent us in the Africa Cup.

“And I think we have done that so largely we are very excited by that and we have managed to give them that opportunity.

“In terms of the Africa Cup, the final squad has been chosen and we do have a few injuries and in my discussion with the technical committee yesterday (Saturday) we have a few injuries and we will have to relook at the squad to beef it up and cover for the areas that have been affected by injuries,’’ Jani said.

He also revealed that his message to the players had been to

Jani added that as the Sables shifted base to the Netherlands, expectations were that their Test in Amsterdam would “fine-tune them for the Africa Cup’’. Zimbabwe will begin their bid to win the Africa Cup with a cagey quarter-final assignment against Cote d’Ivoire on July 2.

 Sables Rugby Africa Cup squad:

Tyran Fagan, Victor Mupunga, Matthew Mandioma, Liam Larkan, Cleopas Kundiona, Bornwell Gwinji, Sean Beevor, Godfrey Muzanargwo, Godwin Mangenje, Kelvin Kanenungo, Johan Du Preez, Nyasha Tarusenga, Jason Fraser, Hilton Mudariki (captain) Kyle Galloway, Takudzwa Musingwini, Takudzwa Chieza, Riaan O’Niel, Marcus Nel, Tapiwa Mafura, Matthew McNab, Shingirai Katsvere, Tapiwa Tsomondo, Brendon Marume, Shayne Makombe, Ngoni Chibuwe, Aiden Burnett, Royal Mwale, Martin Mangongo, Gabriel Sipapate, Biselele Tshamala

Non-travelling reserves:

 Carlos Matematema, Tawanda Matipano, George Saungweme.