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Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE Rugby Union president, Aaron Jani, has been elevated to chair the Performance sub-committee, which works with all the top-tier nations, in Rugby Africa.

The Performance sub-committee, basically, has the nations competing for the right to represent Africa in the 2023 World Cup Rugby.

Jani, who was recently appointed the Rugby Africa’s rugby committee academy chairperson, will rise to the sub-committee, taking over the position of Guede N’Siaye.

The move by Jani, from Academy to Performance sub-committee, is expected to help Zimbabwe, in a big way, as the sport is trying hard to resume after the break enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Rugby Committee in Africa is split into three sub-committees – the Perfomance sub-committee, the Academy sub-committee, which has those rugby-playing countries who aspire to be in the performance group, and the third-tier community level.

This has nations who are in their infancy, in rugby terms, with particular reference to their structures, and performance.

ZRU media personnel, Simba Danga, said the elevation was a good move for the country.

Jani, will take over from N’Siaye, a founder member who is now sitting on the advisory role.

This is another feather, in Jani’s profile, on the continental game, since his March 2019 election to Rugby Africa’s executive committee.

The ZRU president emerged with the highest number of votes, won by any candidate on the executive committee, as 25 of the 27 delegates, voted in his favour.

In November last year, Jani was appointed an executive committee member of the Rugby Africa’s women advisory committee, whose role is to shape the future of the women’s game on the continent.

Jani’s latest appointment comes after ZRU board members, Abigail Mnikwa and Abigail Kawonza, were recently assigned roles on the Rugby Africa sub-committees for women.

Mnikwa was named in Rugby Africa’s women rugby advisory committee’s sub-committee on leadership, training and conferences.