By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwe Sables prop Cleopas Kundiona has been crowned a Gallagher Premiership champion after Northampton Saints defeated Exeter Chiefs 26-17 in the English rugby final at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
Although the Zimbabwe international did not feature in either the semi-final or the final, Kundiona will receive a winners’ medal as a member of the Saints squad, capping a memorable debut season in English rugby.
The 26-year-old tighthead prop played eight matches in the Premiership campaign and was Northampton’s only Tier 2 international representative as the club secured its third English league title, adding to previous triumphs in 2014 and 2024.
George Hendy proved the match winner for Saints, scoring two tries in the space of three second-half minutes to break Exeter’s resistance. Tommy Freeman and Fin Smith also crossed the whitewash as Northampton completed a deserved 26-17 victory.
For Kundiona, the title triumph marks another significant milestone in what has been an outstanding year. The former Falcon College student joined Northampton Saints at the start of the season from French Pro D2 side USON Nevers and quickly established himself as a valuable member of the squad.
The powerful front-rower also played a key role in Zimbabwe’s historic qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, helping the Sables secure their first appearance at rugby’s global showpiece in more than three decades.
Winning one of world rugby’s most prestigious domestic competitions is further evidence of Kundiona’s growing reputation and underlines the impact Zimbabwean players are making at the highest levels of the professional game.