ZIMBABWE women's national rugby team interim head coach Lissy Wasarirevu believes her side needs to invest more in their play after edging rivals Zambia in a test match in Lusaka at the weekend.
The Women Sables notched a thrilling and close 26-25 victory to secure back-to-back wins against their opponents, who they beat in Harare last month.
Zimbabwe were also triumphant in the men's section, with the Sables claiming a 22-17 victory, to complete their double over Zambia.
They beat the Zambians during the Mwana Schools Festival at Prince Edward in early May.
Just like their male counterparts, the women have ensured they get the better of the Zambians each time the two teams meet.
Wasarirevu expressed satisfaction with her team's performance.
"I am happy with the win; the match was quite tough."
"Hats off to Zambia; they're a formidable side. I am pleased to note the substantial improvement from the girls and how we played as a cohesive unit, both defensively and in attack.
"We've been working hard at camp, and it's gratifying to see that hard work beginning to pay off. However, we still have a lot of improvements to make tactically and in general," said Wasarirevu.
Zimbabwe's tries came from Kudzai Wasili, who scored two, and Rufaro Tagarira and Trish Moko who added one each.
Tarren Munodaani was successful with the conversions.
The ZRU women's chairperson, Regina Mwanandiwa, was delighted with the team's display of skill and determination.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"It was an absolute pleasure to see the girls perform so well. In the end, it was a tight match.
"But the ladies managed to hold it together for a famous win.
"On the administrative side, I'm grateful to the team that organised everything, making this trip a possibility. As you can imagine, it's never easy to prepare for such encounters due to the financial pressures involved in ensuring flawless travel and arrangements," Mwanandiwa said.
She also called upon the corporate sector to partner with the ZRU to foster the development of the sport and encourage more girls to participate.
"We are grateful for the support received from our various stakeholders and continue to call on the corporate world to partner with us in ensuring the growth of the game," she added.
Meanwhile, attention now shifts to the Under-18 Junior Sables, who are set to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the Craven Week tournament which kicks off this weekend.
With the senior teams' victory serving as inspiration, hopes are high for another strong performance from Zimbabwe's young rugby talent.
