Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sport Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Anselem Sanyatwe Meets World Rugby Chairman Brett Robinson and Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah to Advance Rugby’s Future in Zimbabwe
Image: Brett Robinson, Chairman of World Rugby; Honourable Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe; Hon. Emily Jesaya, Deputy Minister; and Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa and World Rugby Executive Board Member (Left to Right).
With Zimbabwe set to return to the Rugby World Cup stage in 2027, World Rugby, Rugby Africa and the Zimbabwean Government explored a shared roadmap to strengthen high-performance rugby, expand participation and create a legacy for the game across the country.
HARARE, Zimbabwe – Today, World Rugby Chairman Brett Robinson and Rugby Africa President and World Rugby Executive Board Member Herbert Mensah held high-level bilateral discussions with the Honourable Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, to discuss the future development of rugby in Zimbabwe beyond the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Organised by Zimbabwe Rugby Union, the governing body of rugby in Zimbabwe, the meeting formally acknowledged Zimbabwe’s qualification for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia, marking the Sables’ first appearance at the global tournament since 1991, while also focusing on governance stability, high-performance planning and the long-term development of the game in Zimbabwe. During the meeting, the Honourable Minister Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Sanyatwe was joined by Hon. Emily Jesaya, Deputy Minister, and Dr. Biggie Samwanda from the Arts and Culture Directorate.
Honourable Minister Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Sanyatwe commended World Rugby’s global support and emphasised that governance reforms within the Zimbabwe Rugby Union have restored institutional stability, affirming the Government of Zimbabwe’s full backing for the national team as they prepare for fixtures across Australia.
“Thank you to the Government of Zimbabwe and the Honourable Minister for the warm welcome and for the support they continue to provide to rugby in this country. Zimbabwe’s return to the Rugby World Cup in 2027 is incredibly important, but equally important is the legacy we can create for rugby in this country beyond 2027. We applaud the governance structures that have been introduced, and it is very important that we see continuity. We want to continue to invest alongside the Zimbabwe Rugby Union and the Government of Zimbabwe in the future of the sport. Ultimately, our aspiration is to change the lives of young men and women through our sport, creating an environment where they can have aspirations, develop themselves and believe in what they can achieve,” said Brett Robinson, Chairman of World Rugby.
“Zimbabwe’s qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup is a great achievement, but we must see 2027 as the beginning, not the destination. There is so much more that Zimbabwe can achieve in rugby, and having the full support of the Government of Zimbabwe is critical to making that progress possible. I would like to thank the Honourable Minister, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, for his leadership and commitment to rugby and for the Government’s support of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union. With strong leadership, government support and the right structures in place, we can build on this momentum and create opportunities that will continue well beyond 2027,” said Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa and Executive Board Member at World Rugby.
The World Rugby delegation was led by Chairman Brett Robinson and included Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah, World Rugby Chief of International Federation David Carrigy and David Gilbert, Advisor to the President of Rugby Africa and former President of Botswana Rugby Union. The Zimbabwe Rugby Union was represented by Interim Management Committee Chair Paddy Zhanda and General Manager Takunda Chifokoyo.
The delegation reviewed the Sables’ competition and preparation programme, including their integration into World Rugby’s expanded international competition pathway and upcoming November 2026 Nations Cup fixtures. The discussions also centred on expanding grassroots participation and elevating Rugby Sevens as a key development vehicle ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
Rugby Africa will also continue to work closely with the Zimbabwe Rugby Union to support long-term governance continuity and ensure that the country is well positioned to maximise the opportunities presented by its return to the Rugby World Cup stage in 2027.
The bilateral engagement underlined the shared commitment of the Government of Zimbabwe, World Rugby, Rugby Africa and the Zimbabwe Rugby Union to use the momentum of Rugby World Cup qualification to strengthen the game from grassroots to elite level and build a legacy for rugby in Zimbabwe.
To commemorate the milestone, Robinson formally presented the Honourable Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, and Deputy Minister Emily Jesaya with an official World Rugby ceremonial salver and the official Rugby World Cup 2027 match ball featuring Australian Indigenous artwork, formally welcoming Zimbabwe back to the pinnacle of world rugby.
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Media Contact:
Naeema Talati
Communications and Marketing Manager for Zimbabwe Rugby Union
About Zimbabwe Rugby Union:
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) is the national governing body for rugby in Zimbabwe, responsible for the administration, development, promotion and growth of the sport across the country. ZRU oversees Zimbabwe’s national teams and rugby pathways, including the Sables, Cheetahs and age-grade representative teams. Through its development programmes, competitions, high-performance structures and partnerships, ZRU works to grow rugby at grassroots, schools, tertiary, club and provincial levels while creating opportunities for players, coaches, match officials and administrators to progress within the sport. ZRU is committed to strengthening Zimbabwe’s position on the international rugby stage while using rugby as a platform for national pride, youth development, community engagement and opportunity.
Media Contact:
Nicole Vervelde
Communications Manager for Rugby Africa
nicole.vervelde@rugbyafrique.com
About Rugby Africa:
Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) is the governing body of rugby in Africa and one of the regional associations under World Rugby. It unites all African countries that play rugby union, rugby sevens, and women’s rugby. Rugby Africa organizes various competitions, including the qualifying tournaments for the Rugby World Cup and the Africa Sevens, a qualifying competition for the Olympic Games. With 40 member unions, Rugby Africa is dedicated to promoting and developing rugby across the continent. World Rugby highlighted Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia as three of the six emerging nations experiencing strong growth in rugby.
