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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter 

FOR the fourth year running, South African rugby experts, including two former Springboks are heading to Falcon College in Esigodini for the annual AMG Global Junior Rugby Coaching Festival which runs from Friday through to Sunday. 

The four coaches, Greg Miller, Jacques Botes, Marius Hurter, a member of the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks squad and another former Bok Delarey du Preez are all from the Academy of Rugby. Locals, Brendan Dawson and Schalk Ferreira will assist the South Africans in imparting knowledge to the youngsters during the fiesta.

Orlando Fernandes, the festival director indicated that five high schools as well as nine primary ones have so far confirmed their participation. Falcon College, Lomagundi, Hillcrest, Gateway and Northlea are entering their Under-14s while Admiral Tait, Whitestone, Petra, Heritage, Kyle College Preparatory School, Highlands, Welton, Goldridge, Wise Owl are entering their Under-13 age groups. 

AMG Global, who have been the principal sponsors of the festival since its inception in 2016 are once again the main bankrollers of the fiesta this year, with the other funding coming from Zimbabwe Lithium and Fawcett Security. 

“Falcon College is once again proud to host the AMG Global Junior Rugby Coaching Festival. I am really grateful to AMG Global who have once again come in, in a very big to be the main sponsor for this festival. I am also indebted to Zimbabwe Lithium and Fawcett Security who have contributed significantly towards the successful hosting of this upcoming festival,’’ Fernandes said.

On what contribution the festival is making to the local game, Fernandes feels that it is it benefiting both the players and their coaches by increasing their skillfulness. This year, the projected numbers for players participating is 270 with 45 coaches. 

As has been the case over the years, the youngsters will get coaching in the morning before they play coached matches in the afternoon. What makes the festival unique is that the coaches are allowed on the field of play while the matches are going on to give guidance to their players. 

On Friday, a formal dinner will be held in Bulawayo for coaches and other officials where Falcon College headmaster Reginald Querl, a representative from AMG Global as well as the Zimbabwe Rugby Union vice president south Martin Shone will be some of the speakers. 

— @Mdawini_29