BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
KAMPALA – Zimbabwe rugby captain Hilton Mudariki, one of the country’s longest serving players, has finally won his first piece of silverware in the green-and-white of the Sables.
Zimbabwe’s workmanlike 29-3 win over Algeria here on Sunday sealed a hugely deserved Rugby Africa Cup title for the tournament’s most standout team.
With Zimbabwe’s national teams across the codes going through a seemingly unending lean spell – the cricket team’s defeat to Ireland on the same day in the historic Test match in Belfast being a good case in point – the rugby side had been under heavy scrutiny from the long-suffering Zimbabwean sports fans throughout the Africa Cup in the Ugandan capital.
The hastily assembled Sables side was however in fine form to win all their three Africa Cup games, courtesy of a truly admirable team effort.
32-year-old scrumhalf Mudariki – one of the Sables’ most outstanding players in the tournament – was however quick to credit new coach Piet Benade for the team’s change of fortune in a short period of time.
“Coach has a very big heart,” Mudariki told SportsCast after hoisting the trophy on Sunday.
“He plays for us, he coaches us like his family, and we are one family as a result. I believe that everything that we do, everything that he’s done, will live with us for a lifetime. He’s been one of the most inspirational coaches I’ve ever met. He puts his heart, soul and his own resources behind our success.”
Gert Smal – who was one of the assistant coaches when the Springboks won the 2007 World Cup – has been one of the brains behind Zimbabwe’s unexpected resurgence.
The 62-year-old South African is part of the Sables’ backroom staff as a coaching consultant.
“Working with one of the biggest and most recognised coaches in the business is a dream come true, to be honest,” Mudariki said of Smal.
“There is a reason why these guys end up winning international awards and winning Word Cups. What (Smal) he has left with us, and what he will continue to do for my country and the players, is more than words can explain.”
Zimbabwe’s success in the Africa Cup was also in large part due to Mudariki’s new half-back combination with the equally impressive flyhalf Ian Prior, who however didn’t play in the final after he returned to Australia for personal reasons.
33-year-old Prior is a former captain of Western Force, one of Australia’s premier teams, and also represented that country at Under-20 level.
While Mudariki has happily welcomed the ex-Australia youth international’s quality and experience, it is the collective range of abilities in the side that excites him the most.
“I think this structure that we have is a little bit different,” Mudariki said.
“It’s not about international stars. It’s not about individuals. It’s about finding the best in each player. I’ve been able to influence the less exposed players. The mindset is all about the way they prepare their bodies and all of that, and we’ve really operated as one. If I was to come out and sing loud about one player or one individual who made this work, this would be the most difficult task. Everyone played the part. You noticed that we didn’t have three of our guys in the final, but the junior players like Trevor (Gurwe) came out. It’s the most unified Zimbabwe experience that I’ve had in my career.”
21-year-old wing Gurwe, on his run-on debut for Zimbabwe, scored a brace of tries in the first-half against the Algerians.
Replacement hooker Liam Larkan and outside-centre Brandon Mudzekenyedzi also crossed the whitewash as Zimbabwe were crowned African champions to end rivals Namibia’s dominance.
