Former Scotland rugby international Scott Gray has been named as the new Zimbabwe Under-18 team coach ahead of this year’s edition of the annual Coca-Cola Craven Week to be held at St Stithians College in Johannesburg, South Africa, in July.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
The 39-year-old Zimbabwe-born former Northampton Saints star’s appointment was confirmed by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union director of rugby, Nsikelelo Sibanda yesterday in addition to more changes to the technical teams of the various national age group sides.
Gray, who is the current coach at St John’s College, takes over from long-serving mentor Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa, who had been in charge of the team since 2006. His immediate task will be to prepare the national Under-18 side for the Coca-Cola Craven Week tournament, where they have found the going tough in the last three years, winning only one match in nine encounters.
The former Peterhouse Boys schoolboy will be assisted by former Sables captain, Cleopas Makotose, with another former Zimbabwe international and current Prince Edward School coach Shaun De Souza coming in as the team manager.
The duo takes over from Graham Kaulback, who was the team’s assistant coach and former team manager Tungamirai Mashungu.
This year will also see Zimbabwe fielding another team at the Coca-Cola Academy Week which runs concurrently with the Craven Week tournament.
The team will be coached by Marvin Chirume, who will be assisted by former Sables captain Constantine Dinha, while referee Simbarashe Dangah is the team manager.
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Former Pumas winger Gordon Pangeti, who is the director of sports at The Heritage School in Harare, has retained his post as Under-13 coach, with ex-Sables utility backliner, Douglas Trivella also reclaiming his post as the national Under-16 coach.
This year’s Coca-Cola Craven Week as well as Academy Week will take place from July 17-22 in Johannesburg, while the Under-13 Craven Week as well as the Grant Khomo Week for the Under-16 sides are scheduled for July 10-14 at Grey College in Bloemfontein.
