Mid-Mat Rugby League on the cards

Sport
MID-MAT Rugby League to be played over a month starts at the weekend as the two provinces hope to assist the Sables squad selectors

MID-MAT Rugby League to be played over a month starts at the weekend as the two provinces hope to assist the Sables squad selectors in coming up with the players for the national team to represent the country in the 2015 World Cup qualifiers.

FORTUNE MBELE SPORTS REPORTER

Four teams in Matabeleland, Busters, Old Miltonians, Bulldogs and Panthers and four from Midlands that comprise Gweru Sports Club, Midlands State University, Thornhill and Zvishavane Bulls will play each other in a round-robin format before provincial squads are selected.

Matabeleland Rugby Football Board vice-president Sean Robinson yesterday confirmed the league which sets off at Hartsfield Rugby Grounds on Saturday for the Matabeleland teams and either in Zvishavane or Gweru for the Midlands teams.

“We have decided to start with a senior Mid-Mat Rugby League that will start at the weekend. The Matabeleland teams will play in a round-robin format for a month at Hartsfield with the Midlands teams playing either in Gweru at the Airforce or in Zvishavane. The two top teams will then play in the final after which we will select a Matabeleland and Midlands squad that will also play each other. This is a World Cup qualifying year and we are hoping that the Zimbabwe Rugby Union will be able to pick up squad from a provincial set-up rather than from clubs,” Robinson said.

The Sables will play three matches against Namibia, Madagascar and Kenya with the winners in that group qualifying for the 2015 World Cup in England.

Runners-up will get a second chance to earn a ticket to England after playing a play-off with a European nation.