We played for the people of Zimbabwe: Prior

STAFF WRITER

The Sables fly-half, Ian Prior, stood with tears in his eyes, his voice cracking beneath the weight of history.

“This is bigger than us,” the Australian-born flyhalf said, moments after Zimbabwe’s heroic 30-28 victory over Namibia in the Rugby Africa Cup final at Mandela National Stadium in Uganda.

“It’s a surreal and emotional moment—being part of the team that brought Zimbabwe back to the World Cup for the first time since 1991. I just hope we made everyone proud.”

And then he said the words that will echo for years to come:
“We played for the people of Zimbabwe, for every Zimbabwean across the world.”

The Sables’ dramatic win sealed their qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, ending a 34-year exile from the global stage.

Once trailblazers of African rugby—having featured in the inaugural World Cup in 1987 and again in 1991—Zimbabwe had since fallen away, left behind while Namibia claimed Africa’s secondary berth at every tournament from 1999 to 2023.

Until now.

Saturday’s performance in Kampala was more than just a win. It was a revival of identity and pride in a sport long cherished but often overlooked.

The result marked Zimbabwe’s third World Cup qualification, and an emotional resurgence that has reignited national passion—evident in the wild celebrations that erupted from Harare to the diaspora corners of London, Perth, and Johannesburg.

“We weren’t just playing for ourselves,” said Prior, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and finished as top points scorer. “This is something we dreamed of, something we worked so hard for.”

His remarks captured the moment’s raw emotion, while also pointing toward a deeper purpose in the squad—one built on unity, belief, and national pride.

“Defending our Africa Cup title wasn’t a guarantee,” he added. “But it gave us belief. We knew if we stuck to our plan and played the kind of rugby we’re capable of, we’d give ourselves a chance. And now, here we are.”

That belief was on full display throughout a bruising, high-intensity final. The Sables struck early, withstood relentless Namibian pressure, and held firm in the dying moments to clinch the narrow victory.

Second rower Godfrey Muzanargwo, named Player of the Match, delivered a thunderous all-round performance, capped with a try that shifted the momentum. But his words afterward revealed a team far from satisfied.

“It’s back to the drawing board now,” Muzanargwo said. “We’re not going to the World Cup just to be there. We want to compete. We want to put Zimbabwe on the map.”

His humility was unmistakable.

“We’re nothing without the support from back home,” he added. “The coaches, the boys, everyone pushing day in and day out—that’s what got us here.”

Zimbabwe’s qualification also opens the door to a historic milestone: if Namibia qualify via the repechage tournament, Africa could have three teams at a Men’s Rugby World Cup for the first time, alongside South Africa and Zimbabwe.

But for the Sables, the focus is already forward-looking. This moment, while historic, is merely a launchpad.

Zimbabwe was the first African team to play in a Rugby World Cup, but decades of underinvestment, poor structures, and player drain left the national side in the shadows. Despite flourishing schoolboy systems and respected rugby institutions like Prince Edward, Falcon, St George’s, and Churchill producing elite-level talent, the pathway to senior national representation often faded into obscurity.

Now, with a ticket to Australia 2027 in hand, there is hope that things will change.

The Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) is expected to leverage this qualification to attract new sponsors, rejuvenate domestic rugby infrastructure, and secure more high-performance camps. For the players, it’s about proving that Zimbabwe can no longer be ignored on the world stage.

“This is just the beginning,” Muzanargwo insisted.

From the thunder in Muzanargwo’s tackles to the emotion in Prior’s voice, Zimbabwe’s journey back to the World Cup is not just a sporting achievement—it is a powerful reawakening.

A generation that had only heard stories of the 1987 and 1991 World Cups will now have its own moment.

They played for the people of Zimbabwe.
And Zimbabwe is going to the World Cup.