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FORMER Under-17 schools’ team assistant coach Sebastian Garikayi has been appointed the as the new Sables team manager while the Zimbabwe Rugby Union are yet to identify assistant coaches for the senior side. ZRU last month appointed Cyprian Mandenge as the new national team coach, taking over from Brendan Dawson while they also made appointments to the Sevens, the Under19/20 men, women’s sevens and then15s.

Garikayi is currently the sports director at Prince Edward High School and was the general manager for Team Zimbabwe at the African Union Region Five Games staged in Bulawayo last year.

In rugby Garikayi is heavily involved as the festival director for the Dairibord Schools Rugby Week while he also serves as the chairman of the Harare Athletics Board.

Last week, former Cheetahs player coach John Ewing was appointed the new assistant to Daniel Hondo while Steve MacDonald has been retained as the team manager.

The Union on Wednesday also announced the appointment of Bob Mahari as the assistant to Brendan Brider in the Under19/20 team while former Under-17 team manager Shaun De Souza comes in.

Former Sables skipper Cleopas Makotose will assist Abigail Kawonza in the women’s sevens squad while Susan Kamukai was appointed the team manager.

The ZRU appointment committee has since appointed George Mukorera as the Pangolins coach and have given all the newly appointed coaches four- year contracts.

The new managers and assistant coaches were appointed following the input from the respective national team coaches and the ZRU executive.

“Additional specialists’ coaches will be announced as soon as details have been finalised through partnerships with South African and the French Rugby Federation,” said ZRU in a statement. – Sportszone.