Farai Mudariki suffers injury setback

Sport
ZIMBABWE rugby star, Farai Mudariki faces the prospect of a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury, which is set to rule him out for Worcester Warriors’ start to the new Gallagher Premiership season, which kicks off next week.

BY DANIEL NHAKANISO

ZIMBABWE rugby star, Farai Mudariki faces the prospect of a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury, which is set to rule him out for Worcester Warriors’ start to the new Gallagher Premiership season, which kicks off next week.

The 24-year-old tighthead prop rolled an ankle in training at Sixways Stadium last week and is set to undergo a scan to determine the extent of the injury.

“Farai just rolled his ankle but it doesn’t seem to be coming right so we are going to have it scanned and have a look at it,” Worcester Warriors director of rugby, Alan Solomons said.

“It’s frustrating for Farai, as he wants to play, but injuries happen. What can you do?”

Mudariki, a product of the esteemed Castres Espoirs, the Youth Academy team for the four-time French champions Castres Olympique has reportedly been making a strong impression ahead of the new season.

He scored his first try for Warriors in the victory over Leicester Tigers in late last month as he looked on course to nail down a regular starting berth in three time English champions’ starting fifteen this season.

Mudariki, whose older brother, Hilton plays for English Championship side, Jersey Reds, arrived at Sixways on the eve of the 2018-19 campaign.

The Zimbabwe international has made just four outings for Worcester since his arrival from French side, Stado Tarbes Pyreness last year, but that was set to change as he had been tipped to play a more prominent role this season after earning a contract extension.

Mudariki is a powerful and destructive scrummager blessed with explosiveness, tremendous ball-carrying and handling skills around the park.

His progression in England has been welcomed by the Sables technical department headed by Brendan Dawson as they see him as one of the team’s key players ahead of the 2023 World Cup qualifiers, which start in June next year.

Mudariki scored a try on his Zimbabwe debut against Madagascar in 2015 in a Rugby World Cup qualifier.

Mudariki’s most recent appearance for the Sables was in August last year against Tunisia in the Rugby Africa Gold Cup, but he missed this season’s Victoria Cup due to club commitments in England.