The Zimbabwe U20 Rugby side, the Junior Sables, is ready to carry the national flag at the Abu Dhabi World Schools Festival, set for 14 to 20 December.
Despite having limited preparation time, Head Coach Shaun De Souza says the squad has swiftly risen to the challenge, showing intensity and commitment that match the expectations of international competition.
“Our preparation window has been short, but the boys have responded exceptionally well,” he said. “Physically, we’ve pushed hard to get them to the required intensity — and they’ve embraced that challenge. Mentally, we’ve focused on clarity, composure, and belief.
When you wear the Zimbabwe badge, you carry responsibility, so our mindset has been about embracing pressure, not fearing it.”
He added that the team is fully aware of the task ahead, saying, “We understand the assignment; we are ambassadors and will fly the flag high.”
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On selection, De Souza highlighted that identity, balance and character guided the process. “Selection is always about balance and identity. We looked at players who can thrive in our system — high work rate, discipline, resilience, and game intelligence,” he said.
With a clear positional ranking system informing decisions, he noted, “Every High Performance squad member clearly understands the positional selection criteria, which literally makes the team select itself.”
De Souza stressed the developmental importance of the Abu Dhabi tournament, saying exposure to elite competition is invaluable. “They expose our players to elite standards — speed, physicality, decision-making — that you simply can’t replicate at home,” he said. He believes the experience strengthens Zimbabwe’s rugby pathways and boosts confidence across age groups and national teams.
Looking ahead, De Souza emphasised long-term ambitions to build a consistent and competitive pipeline. “We’re building a future where Zimbabwe is not just participating, but competing for titles,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to supporting partners, including Econet Wireless, Zimswitch, Gold Star Sugar, ETG Inputs Zimbabwe, Alliance Health, Cresta Hotel and High Class Car Sales, while calling for more backing. “No sponsorship is too small,” he said.
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