By Trevor Makonyonga
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union ( ZRU) terminated contracts of all coaches and managers, except for the senior men’s team, in an exercise they called ‘retooling’.
This decision comes barely a week after ZRU received €5000 as COVID-19 relief funds.
Communication from ZRU to the coaches and managers was similar with the names only being changed.
The letter from ZRU CEO, Sifiso Made, to the affected employees reads, “As the Zimbabwe Rugby Union, we truly value your contribution to the game of rugby and to the Union. I also write to advise you that the Union will be retooling during this Covid period and since all National assignments have been shelved we have to look towards the 2021 season and beyond. In preparation for the 2021 season, we will be advertising all positions save for the Sables Technical team who have already been restructured.”
Made also explained in the letter that the decision was for them to create a Zimbabwean type of rugby.
He wrote, “The idea is to optimally allocate our coaching and administrative resources and align them to our flagship team the “Sables” in terms of style, brand of rugby and ethos. Our aim is to make the transition from age grade to the Sables a seamless process for both ladies and men. We must develop our own brand of rugby. A Zimbabwe brand of rugby.”
The coaches and managers relieved of their duties have also been advised to reapply.
“This transition will be done independently by our technical committee which includes the Headmaster in charge of schools rugby. You are more than welcome to submit your applications to the various positions that will be on offer,” said Made.
However, some coaches and managers who spoke to Bustop TV were not happy with the way this decision saying it would have been decent to offer some form of communication first.
As it is, age group and women teams have no coaches and managers. Some of the fired coaches had not even served in their roles.
