Murambiwa saddened by Junior Sables Under-18 Craven Week exclusion Godwin Murambiwa
Godwin Murambiwa

Godwin Murambiwa

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe Under-18 rugby team coach Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa has expressed his sadness at the exclusion of the Old Mutual Junior Sables from next year’s Coca-Cola Craven Week.

Murambiwa, the Junior Sables mentor from 2006 to 2016 said the decision by the South Africa Rugby Union could be a move to strengthen their own junior national teams following a dismal show by their schools team against England, France and Wales last month.

Saru announced last Thursday that they were revamping the Under-18 Craven Week with the removal of Zimbabwe, Namibia, Eastern Province Country Districts and Border Country Districts. Zimbabwe and Namibia will only field Under-18 teams at the Academy Week.

“There are two ways of looking at it, maybe South Africa have stopped being Big Brother, if they are dropping Namibia and us then it’s not entirely based on results. They are trying to fix their own game to make the Craven Week stronger, to make sure the teams that they are picking going forward are much stronger,’’ Murambiwa said.

He believes that Zimbabwe Rugby Union need to look at how they can get more game time for their schoolboys and ensure that they keep the sponsorship from Old Mutual who have been the Junior Sables bankrollers since 2014.

“Zimbabwe just needs to change the way they were doing things. It’s a sad day for Zimbabwe, it’s not something we can take lightly. Hopefully Old Mutual will keep backing us. We need to look at our own competition, we need to play Namibia home and away, we can also look at Kenya,’’ he said.

Murambiwa was in charge of the Junior Sables from 2006 to 2016 having assisted Reginald Querl prior to taking over as coach. He was at the helm when the Junior Sables, led by loose forward Michael Todd won all the three matches they played at the 2007 Craven Week held in Stellenbosch.

ZRU chief executive officer, Blessing Chiutare said they were yet to be officially informed by Saru of the decision not to have a Zimbabwe Under-18 team at next year’s Craven Week.

@Mdawini_29

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