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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
INTERNATIONAL Rugby Board (IRB) Regional Development Manager for Africa Jean-Luc Barthes held his first review meeting with the Zimbabwe Rugby Union hierarchy in Harare yesterday.
The meeting was also meant to discuss the country’s future programmes.

Barthes’ visit is in line with the IRB’s governance protocols and the ZRU’s commitment to maintaining accountability and responsibility for the game in Zimbabwe.

The IRB official who is in the country for a five-day visit arrived on Thursday evening and during yesterday’s meeting the ZRU board and executive pushed for an upward review of the IRB grant given to the national association.

The ZRU argues that increasing the grant will enable them to embark on their developmental programmes.

“Every year ZRU gets 90,000 pounds from the IRB and what we have done is to try and push for an increase of that grant to implement more development and national team programmes that will lead to successful campaigns in international assignments. That is the same money that we use for all national teams.

“We presented our case to the IRB official as his visit is a review and performance meeting to discuss among other strategic issues, the ZRU development plan and how it will be implemented in 2015 as well as make visits to community playing centres,” said ZRU spokesman, Godfrey Koti.

The ZRU development centres are spread around the country and are being funded by Old Mutual which are for previously marginalised areas. Today, Barthes will visit one of the centres in Chitungwiza before going to watch a National Rugby League game between Harare Sports Club and Old Georgians.

The ZRU director of coaching Liam Middleton gave a presentation on national teams.

“Because ZRU had to lay down its plans of action for the future, director of coaching made a presentation on national teams, reviewing the ill-fated 2015 World Cup campaign and the next 15s World Cup set for 2018,” said Koti.