Zimbabwe national rugby union team

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Zimbabwe

Union

Nickname(s)

Sables





Team colours

First international

British Isles 24 - 11 Zimbabwe (as Southern Rhodesia)
(July 30, 1910)

Largest win

Botswana 10 - 130 Zimbabwe
(September 9, 1996)

Worst defeat

Namibia 68 - 8 Zimbabwe
(September 25, 2004)

World Cup

Appearances

2 (First in 1987)

Best result

No games won

The Zimbabwe national rugby union team are considered to be a third tier rugby union nation. The team has participated in rugby activities since the late 1800s with international matches being played as early as 1910.

The national team has a long association with touring British Isles teams, who would regularly play matches against them in their tours of South Africa. The earliest tour being in 1910. The side has also played New Zealand on several occasions, the first being in the late 1920s.

The Zimbabwe national rugby team have competed at two World Cups. The first in 1987 and the second in 1991. Zimbabwe did not win any of their fixtures. The team are also known as the Sables.

1 History
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Early

When the Pioneer Column arrived in Rhodesia from the Cape Province in 1890 it brought with it the country's first rugby players. The oldest clubs in the country, Queens and the Bulawayo Athletic Club, were formed in 1894 in Bulawayo and the Rhodesia Rugby Football Union was founded one year later in 1895.

The first tour by a Rhodesian team to South Africa took place in 1898, and was composed of players from the five biggest clubs in the two major settlements of Bulawayo and Salisbury (today called Harare).

[edit] Rhodesia

A British and Irish Lions team played a side called Southern Rhodesia on July 30 in 1910 in Bulawayo, the Lions saw victory, beating the team 24 points to 11. Almost exactly 14 years passed until another touring Lions side would stop by and play another match against Rhodesia, on July 24 1924 in Salisbury, the Lions won 16 to 3. On July 14, 1928, Rhodesia played New Zealand, losing 8 to 44.

In 1938, in the middle of their tour of South Africa, the British and Irish Lions played two matches against Rhodesia. The first, taking place on July 20 saw the Lions win 25 to 11, three days later the Lions won again, 45 to 11. Both matches were played in Salisbury and Bulawayo, as the previous games had been years earlier. In late July of 1949, two matches were played against New Zealand. Rhodesia won the first 10 to 8, whilst the second game was a draw 3 all.

The 1955 tour of South Africa by the British and Irish Lions saw a repeat invitation of two games against Rhodesia. The first on July 27 in Kitwe was a victory for the Lions, 27 to 14. The second match was another victory, but a closer scoreline, the Lions winning 16 to 12 in Salisbury.

In 1960,New Zealand again returned to play a match on July 2, Rhodesia losing 14 to 29. The 1962 tour of South Africa by the British and Irish Lions had Rhodesia as the opening fixture in the massive tour which went from late May until late August. The opening game of the Lions tour saw the visitors win in Bulawayo, beating Rhodesia 38 to 9 on May 26. The next tour, six years later was another victory for the Lions in Salisbury, beating the side 32 to 6. In 1973 Rhodesia played a one-off match against Italy, winning 42 to 4. In 1970 Rhodesia played New Zealand on July 27, losing 14 to 27. In 1974, the Lions were back at Salisbury where they defeated Rhodesia 42 to 6, Rhodesia winless despite now having a long tradition of involvement with British Irish tours of South Africa. The coming decades of the 1960s and 1970s saw a number of home-grown players considered good enough to be selected for South Africa.Rhodesia’s rugby playing strength reached its peak in the early to mid 1970s seasons when the country possessed 49 clubs, putting together 102 teams.

[edit] Zimbabwe

In 1980 the Rhodesia Rugby Football Union was renamed the Zimbabwe Rugby Union when the country's name changed as well. Ties with South Africa and the Currie Cup were also ended. They played their first game as Zimbabwe on July 7, 1981 against Kenya, winning 34 to 24. During the 1980s, Zimbabwe started playing more international fixtures, with matches regularly taking place against teams such as Kenya, the Soviet Union, Spain and Romania. In 1986 Richard Tsimba became the first Black African player to play for Zimbabwe. In 1987 they were invited to participate in the World Cup that year. Zimbabwe lost all three of its pool matches.

During the 1990s the Zimbabwe national team played regularly against Namibia as well as playing against the Ivory Coast and Morocco on a few occasions. In 1991 the team was again competing at the World Cup. Placed in pool B amongst sides Ireland, Scotland and Japan, but failed to win any games.

In June of 2005, Zimbabwe started on the road to the 2007 World Cup, defeating Senegal 21 to 15 in the Africa round 1B: Pool A. But lost their second match against Cote D'Ivoire. Zimbabwe had a disappointing 2006 Africa Cup campaign, finished third in their group with Madagascar and Zambia.