By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwe’s senior national rugby union team, the Sables, will face a South Africa ‘A’ side in a high-profile international fixture in June as preparations intensify for the Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
The match will be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on June 20, serving as the curtain-raiser for the blockbuster Test between the South Springboks and the Barbarians.
The historic fixture was confirmed by Herbert Mensah, president of Rugby Africa, during an interview with the RugbyWireZw Podcast.
“I have wonderful announcements to make. The fact that before the South African Barbarians match in June, the Sables will be playing a South African A team in South Africa. It has never happened before,” Mensah said.
The clash will form part of Zimbabwe’s build-up to the Rugby World Cup, where the Sables will be aiming to make a strong return to the global stage.
In addition to facing the South African ‘A’ side, Zimbabwe will also compete in the World Rugby Nations Cup, where they have been drawn against Tonga, the United States, and Canada.
According to Mensah, Zimbabwe is expected to host some of its Nations Cup matches in England, a move aimed at tapping into the large Zimbabwean diaspora and boosting revenue for the sport.
“The fact that we’ve been able to negotiate for Zimbabwe’s home matches to be in England has never happened before,” Mensah explained.
“Yes, maybe it should have been in Africa, but there’s a revenue base that might make sense for us playing with a huge Zimbabwean population in Europe at the same time.”
Mensah made the remarks ahead of a courtesy call with Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Zimbabwe.
He was also the guest of honour at the Sables’ World Cup campaign launch in Harare, where stakeholders from across the Zimbabwe rugby community gathered to rally support for the national team.
Mensah expressed hope that the upcoming fixtures would mark the rebirth of Zimbabwean rugby, calling for more investment in infrastructure and player support.
“We want to see tournaments such as the Victoria Cup and Nations Cup matches in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“We hope that the Police Ground will be refurbished and that we’ll get the investment in the Sables for their salaries and match preparation.”
The upcoming match against South Africa ‘A’ represents one of the biggest opportunities in recent years for the Sables to test themselves against elite opposition as they build momentum ahead of the Rugby World Cup.