Harare — VETERAN Zimbabwe coach Godwin Murambiwa has challenged the Zimbabwe Rugby Union to ensure there is continuity in the development of talent from the Under-13 age-group level.

The former Sables coach is now in charge of the national Under-18 side to take part at the Craven Week tournament in East London, South Africa, from July 13.

Murambiwa's current Under-18 squad consists of some of the players who featured in the Under-13 side five years ago.

Zimbabwe have been impressive at the Craven Week in the last two years and Murambiwa wants the ZRU to build from the youth team's success and establish a strong base for the development of the game.

They have won five of their six matches at the festival.

"It's good that now we have just received the first string of players that played at the Under-13 stage a number of years ago and the task is now to maintain continuity among these players.

"But to ensure a better flow of continuity we need to have the Under-16 side taking part at the Craven Week as well. But we do not have to look at the Craven Week only but also at getting the teams to play at tournaments like the Tuskers (Sevens) tournament in Kenya," said Murambiwa.

Zimbabwe has been dominating their regional rivals Namibia at the junior level of the game but the senior national side has been struggling.

"If we look at the draw this year, it shows there has been a huge improvement in terms of junior rugby in Zimbabwe and that is the reason why we have been placed in tier one of the festival.

"Craven Week is an elitist level, not in terms of the players' backgrounds, but the level of skill that the players will be exposed to, given that we play three hard games in just a week.

"So what needs to be done is to have more of a developmental side that will play regional teams as well like Zambia and Botswana and if they also play at Kenya then this means that by the end of the year we have at least 44 capped junior players.

"We have proven over the past few years and that was key in us qualifying for the Under-19 championships, but the flagship of rugby in any country is the senior national XV side," he said.

Murambiwa is one of the most qualified coaches in the country and is also an IRB accredited instructor.

Ironically, the country's most experienced coaches, such as Under-19 mentor Brighton Chivandire (IRB Level Three), and Alex Nichols, also a holder of an IRB Level Two instructor's certificate, have been working closely with the junior teams.

They have also coached the Sables in the past.

Murambiwa believes Zimbabwe rugby could be more competitive if efforts were diverted to developing the coaches.

"The same coaches that we have are the ones that will replace each other if there is a new coach needed at the national teams and this is because we have not been developing coaches that are also able to take the game to the next level.

"We should not have a situation where if Jaws or Bright are not coaching then we are faced with a negative situation.

"As coaches we should feel that we are replaceable. The biggest problem is that we do not have big (technical) management teams.

"But there is one coach I have seen who is very good and he reminded me of what a good young coach is like.

"He is from Ruzawi (Primary) School in Marondera. The way his players do their rucks and mole you would think they are a senior club side.

"Those are the kind of people we need to develop in the game, so that there is even competition in the coaching side of rugby as well," said Murambiwa.