THE vacant position of the Famous Grouse Zimbabwe Sevens Rugby team manager has attracted foreigners, with candidates applying from neighbouring South Africa.
BY ALBERT MARUFU
The job fell vacant following the retirement of long-serving administrator Bruce Hobson in July this year. The Sevens Rugby franchise’s chairman Donald Mangenje could not be drawn into revealing the applicants, but confirmed the foreign interest.
“The high number of applicants for this job has been flattering, as some of the applicants are from top clubs in South Africa. This goes to show how the Cheetahs brand is appealing throughout the world. Many people are getting to acknowledge that we are serious about Sevens rugby. Some of the applicants have a physiotherapy background,” said Mangenje.
Mangenje, however added that due to the financial constrains facing Zimbabwe’s rugby, they will settle for a local candidate.
“We do not have the resources to enable us to employ a person from a foreign country. This is more or less a voluntary job as there is no money,” he said.
Several names have been touted for this job, among them Grant Mitchell, Basil Dingiswayo, former Cheetahs’ and speedster Tafadzwa Mhende.
The new Cheetahs team manager’s first job would be at the Middleburg Sevens which runs from September 20 to 23. After the Middleburg Sevens, the team is expected to continue with their preparations until their first IRB World Sevens Series tournament in Port Elizabeth, South Africa from December 7-8.
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Hobson retired after taking the team to 29 International Rugby Boards Tournaments, two Rugby World Cups, including the recent one held in Moscow, Russia this year and three Rugby World Cup qualifiers.
This is in addition to the Confederation of Africa Rugby Champions which the Zimbabwe Cheetahs have won a couple of times, the Castle Sevens Tournament Champions (five times) and the Spar Sevens International tournament in 2012.
