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FORMER Springboks and current Zimbabwe rugby head coach Peter de Villiers has hit out at former Springbok winger Tonderai Chavhanga’s criticism of him for failing to lead the Sables to World Cup qualification in Japan next year.

Chavhanga, speaking on Rugby365’s podcast, had said that the Zimbabwe Rugby Union should find someone else to replace De Villiers, who failed on his promise to lead Zimbabwe to World Cup qualification.

“When he (De Villiers) was appointed, he promised that he would get us (Zimbabwe) to the (2019) World Cup and he failed. I feel that we need something a bit different. Whatever approach he took this year clearly didn’t work and I think for the amount of money that he is getting, as a Zimbabwean, I would have expected better results. I think it’s better to get someone else,” said Chavhanga.

Zimbabwe played five Rugby Africa Gold Cup matches, which served as qualification for the World Cup, and lost three, drew one and won just one.
Speaking on the popular Marawa Sport Worldwide show, hosted by seasoned presenter Robert Marawa on the Room Dividers segment, de Villiers responded to Chavhanga’s criticism.

“You know, I don’t want to get into that conversation too much, but for someone who ran away from the problems of his own country when I was there trying to help the people of Zimbabwe. There are so many talented athletes in Zimbabwe and these guys struggle to choose whether they want to play rugby, cricket or soccer when they leave high school,” said de Villiers.

Earlier in the year, Zimbabwe had been left on the streets of Tunisia because of a lack of adequate accommodation ahead of their Rugby Africa Gold Cup match against the Tunisians. – Eye witness News