Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) president Losson Mtongwiza was full of praises for the Bulawayo provincial select team that played against Zimbabwe A in a momentous match at Hartsfield Rugby Grounds in Bulawayo on Saturday afternoon.
Despite going down to the African Champions 80-6, the youthful Bulawayo provincial side played their hearts out in front of local fans who had come out to the home of rugby in large numbers.
For Mtongwiza, that was a proud moment and a sign that Bulawayo rugby is in the right direction.
"This was not about the score, it was about participation. The Bulawayo team gave an amazing show, I went to the field to shake their hands afterward because that score line against the African champions is not bad, especially for a team that is full of Under-21s and Under-22s and they have not played this kind of rugby for a long time. It's a commendable score.
"We played Burkina Faso and beat them by 100 points, two years ago, and it's a national team with this same Sables side. But now, we played against Bulawayo and can't beat them by 100 points, it shows that with support, effort, and time, Bulawayo will get better. Rugby was the winner," said Mtongwiza.
National team head coach Pieter Benade was also impressed by the show that was put on by the provincial side. Benade was also charmed by the love that Bulawayo people have for the sport with a crowd of around 1 000 people having watched the game.
"We had a couple of young boys joining but the starting team was pretty experienced so it was just about them grinding things down. We saw a couple of good performances, even in the Bulawayo side so the bigger aim is for them to come and eventually play in the Sables.
"It's a learning experience for them, but everyone benefited. Our big goal is to be coming down to Bulawayo regularly and hopefully, this is the first of many matches. Seeing a crowd like this encourages us to come," said Benade.
Saturday's event marked a monumental milestone for Bulawayo rugby, which saw Zimbabwe returning to the iconic rugby ground after a five-year hiatus. The last time Zimbabwe played at the home of rugby was in 2019 when they narrowly beat Kenya 30-29.
Bulawayo provincial team head coach Nelson Madida said with the way his boys played, they can only smile for a bright future for the province. Madida said the right foundation has been laid and all that is needed is support.
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"We told them to play for their brothers and sisters who were sitting there watching them and make it work for them. We had moments of brilliance, some boys are 19, who are coming from school and putting up a good fight, so it was something nice. The message to them was to pitch up and play for their province.
"I am happy, there is something to take away and something to grow from. The future of rugby in the province is very bright, if we strengthen our structures and keep our goals we are going far. There is hope for Bulawayo, for us to get there and start competing with everyone to show that we have what it takes," said Madida.
The post-match festivities marked the enthusiasm for rugby at Hartsfield, with fans swarming the ground to meet and greet the African champions. Kudzai Mashawi led Zimbabwe A's strong contingent in a competitive and exciting face-off, useful in preparing for next year's Africa Cup.
Before the game, the Sables also presented their Rugby Africa trophy to the Mayor of Bulawayo, David Coltart.
