The Zimbabwe National Rugby union team, nicknamed the Sables, represents the African nation of Zimbabwe in international competition, and is administered by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union.
History of the Zimbabwe Sables
The Zimbabwean Rugby Union was founded in 1895 as the Rhodesia Rugby Football Union
World Rugby Affiliation: 1987
World Cup Appearances: Two (1987 and 1991)
First International as Southern Rhodesia 30 July 1910
Southern Rhodesia (11 v 24 British Lions)
First Test as Zimbabwe: 23 May 1981 v Kenya
Zimbabwe Sables (34 v 24 Kenya)
World Rugby Category: Tier 3 Development One.
World Rugby Ranking : 34 (Current ‘ 50.71 points)
Highest Ranking : 25 (2015)
Lowest Ranking : 57 (2008)
Biggest win: 9 September 1996 v Botswana
(Zimbabwe Sables 130-10 Botswana) (H)
Biggest Defeat: 15 August 2015 v Namibia (A)
Zimbabwe Sables (06 v 80) Namibia.
Memorable Historical Moment: Being the only non-Tier 1 nation to defeat the All Blacks in 1947
Trophy Chest
- Africa Cup 2012 Winners
- Africa Cup 2013, 2014, 2015 Runners Up
- Victoria Cup 2019
Rugby Luminaries from Zimbabwe
- Ray Mordt – former Springbok winger
- Gary Teichmann – former Springbok Captain & eighthman
- Brian Mujati – former Springbok, Sale Sharks, Racing, Stormers & Lions prop
- Adrian Garvey – former Springbok prop, also represented Zimbabwe
- Tendai Mtawarira – former Springbok & Sharks and World Cup winning prop
- Bobby Skinstad – former Springbok Captain & eighthman
- Tonderai Chavanga – former Springbok, Stormers, Sharks, Lions & Dragons winger. Scored a record 6 tries on international debut for South Africa
- David Pocock – former Wallaby, Western Force & Brumbies flanker/eighthman
- Kyle Godwin – Wallaby, Western Force, Brumbies & Connacht centre
- Don Armand – England & Exeter Chiefs flanker
- David Curtis – former Ireland centre
- Scott Gray – former Scotland, Bath & Northampton flanker
- David Denton – former Scotland, Bath, Worcester & Leicester Ligers flanker/eighthman
- Andy Marinos – former Wales centre & CEO of SANZAAR
- Takudzwa Ngwenya – former USA & Biarritz winger, who famously scored the try of the 2007 Rugby World Cu p, rounding Bryan Habana in the process
- Sebastian Negri – Italy & Benetton Treviso flanker
- Kai Horstmann – former England 7’s, Worcester, Harlequins & Exeter Chiefs flanker/eighthman
- Many other Zimbabwe-born players are playing at top levels in New Zealand, South Africa, Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland and across Europe.
Current Technical Team
Head Coach: Brendon Dawson
Assistant Coach: Liam Middleton
Assistant Coach : Daniel Hondo
Assistant Coach : Graham Knoop
Manager: Jason Maritz
Captain: Hilton Mudariki
