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Martin Shone

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
OLD Miltonians chairman, Martin Shone, is thrilled at being elected substantive vice-president of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) for the Southern Region at Saturday’s annual general meeting held in Harare.

Former Sables’ player Aaron Jani is the new ZRU president and the vice-president for the Northern Region is Losson Mtongwiza.

They were elected to complete the remainder of the four-year term of the ejected Nyararai Sibanda-led executive.

Sibanda’s committee was suspended by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) in August before a vote of no confidence was passed in it at the beginning of November.

Another former national team player Russell Karimazondo has been in charge of an interim committee with Dave Nash and Tungamirai Mashungu as his deputies, while Jani was treasurer.

Shone was delighted with his election and promised to hit the ground running.

“I love rugby, I have been in administration for eight years now and I felt I could do more if I was in the union. The guys before us did a good job, but I still feel there are areas that can be improved,” said Shone.

“I am very pleased with the team that l will work with. These are guys whom l share the same vision with and are very passionate about the game. The most critical issue at present is to set up committees. We surely cannot do the job alone; we need other people to come in and help the new team improve the sport. Just like the president said, the immediate task is to sort out the rugby structures. We call on everyone who has the game at heart to chip in and help take the sport to greater heights,” he said.

Shone said what drives him most is his desire to make a difference in the game.

Prior to his recent election, Shone was the Matabeleland Rugby Football Board (MRFB) board member in charge of development. Before taking up administration posts, he played for Old Miltonians and Old Georgians in a career that dates back to his high school days.

Away from rugby, Shone is the managing director of Amtec Zimbabwe.

Jani secured the presidency unopposed following the last minute withdrawal of Karimazondo.

The new team will be in office up to May 2020 and its immediate task is to get the Zimbabwe team ready for the upcoming Rugby Africa Gold Cup.

The tournament will also serve as qualifiers for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The winner of the Rugby Africa Gold Cup will secure a spot at the 2019 Rugby World Cup to be held in Japan.

@innocentskizoe