Home Sports I did not choose Canada over Zim: Oworu

I did not choose Canada over Zim: Oworu

by Bustop TV News


By Trevor Makonyonga


Last week, Matthew Oworu was selected for the Canada senior men’s rugby sevens side and most Zimbabweans were amused. There was a certain section that thought that the former Churchill and Pitbull player had been let go and that maybe the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) had not tried to keep the talent. That can’t be further from the truth.

Of course people will come up with theories about what really transpired but whilst speaking to Bustop TV, Oworu said his path had already been set when he was young.

Oworu said that there was always a misconception regarding him leaving Zimbabwe.


He said, “I think that was mostly a misconception from the beginning because it seems like I chose one country over the other or didn’t want to play for this or that country but the reality of the situation never really changed. My parents Goal was for us to come to Africa for a secure foundation and for other various reasons and along the way, we ended up excelling in the sport of rugby. With that the plan was always for me to come back to Canada for university as I did so really the circumstance would have had to be of the University thing wasn’t a decision that had already been made years before I started playing rugby and at this point those are all hypotheticals. I still believe that the Zimbabwe Rugby experience was wonderful and a lot of my growth as a player and a person is because of Zimbabwe which I’m very thankful for.”

Speaking on him being selected for Canada Sevens, Oworu said that the call up will push him to work even harder.


He said, “I’m actually still realizing the magnitude of the selection and it’s just makes me go back to the old cliché that everyone tells you when you’re coming up “Hard work pays off.” This has really just further confirmed that it really does pay off and all it really does is push me to work even harder and smarter in order to continue reaching more goals.”


The former bulldog and Pitbull said that he never saw the call up coming and expressed gratitude to God for the fortunes that have come his way.
“I’d be lying if I say I saw exactly what God has blessed me with so far coming but believe for a while now I’ve been approaching my passion differently and this approach has made me find ways to believe in myself more and more as I grow and wherever My Hard work lands me I feel like I belong and by God’s grace I’ll continue to achieve more so with that approach It’s hard to have exact goals because you’ll continue to surprise yourself,” said the former Exide Sevens champion.


On the differences of rugby in Zimbabwe and Canada, Oworu said, “Well because I never played professionally in Zimbabwe I don’t really know the differences at that level but some of the obvious differences I’ve noticed so far is that at school level Zimbabwe rugby is definitely more competitive that Canada and I’d also say that a big adjustment I’ve had to make as a player is leaning more towards the technical part of the game as in Zimbabwe (at school level) I could get away with not focusing too much on that part as it is very necessary but can be mentally challenging at times but at the level I’m at now all the technical aspects of the game are paid attention to almost religiously if I may say.”


On what he expects in his career, the former Pitbull forward, “In my career I’d ultimately like to be part of the very low percentage of athletes who can say they didn’t have to worry about the many financial parts of life that can hinder your continuation of the sport long term and I’m also looking forward to getting towards a level where I’m able to aspire a next generation of players and with that being said I also understand that I have so much to learn as this is just the beginning and there’s tonnes of rugby to be played for me.”


As Matthew has gone maybe the Sables can now shift focus to his brother, James who is also good and not tied to any national team.

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