The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe Limited became official sponsor of the tournament in 1998 and the company has since allocated funding and support for rugby at schoolboy level.
Group Chief Executive Officer Happymore Mapara was impressed by the festival’s success over the past 10 years. The rugby extravaganza now showcases more than 120 matches.
Over the past few years, ZRU has come to recognise the potential of the festival for rejuvenating the senior game. This was Cottco’s intention when it assumed the role of principal sponsor 10 years ago. The ready acceptance at that time by the schools rugby authorities of Cottco’s objective of expanding rugby to rural area schools laid the groundwork for what we see now – rugby as a true national game where it counts, in schools, countrywide, said Mapara.
The 2000 showpiece saw 65 teams taking part including, for the first time, sides from rural and urban high-density schools; among them Glen View 1, Mutoko, St Ignatius, Nyanga, Kutama, Seke 5, Mabvuku and Nhowe. A year later, they were joined by Mbare, Seke 1, Kyle, Trust Academy, St Johns High and Vengere in what was the biggest festival ever held, with 70 teams from 50 schools taking part. That record has since been broken with the 2007 festival hosting 88 teams from schools throughout the country.
The 2002 Cottco festival saw a marked improvement in the standard of play by the new rugby-playing schools, with Mutoko taking the trophy for the most improved side, and Nyanga named the most disciplined team. Peterhouse were dubbed the team with the most flair.
Since then, Murehwa and Mutoko have shown considerable progress, which saw them advancing to join the big boys’ playing on the Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of the festival.
As competition between an increased number of schools intensified, festival spectator attendances rose dramatically. 50,000 spectators and over now enter the grounds of the traditional hosts, Prince Edward, on the festival final day.
ZRU President Bruce Hobson lauded the success of the festival saying: It has, over the years, developed into the showcase of the country’s schoolboy rugby and its huge importance cannot be underestimated.
The expansion of the festival put local referees under considerable pressure, resulting in extra referees being drafted in from other African countries. The event is also used for training and evaluation of referees from all over Africa.
The rugby showdown has, in previous years, attracted teams from neighbouring countries, including Botswana, South Africa, and Zambia.
This year, though many other countries chose to stay away, fearing any fall-out from Zimbabwe’s political unrest.
Stop me if you can! Hosts Prince Edward beat Lomagundi 33-10. Picture by Paul Chibvuri
Unbeatable. There was plenty of excitement and action at the Cottco Rugby Festival.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News