
The dates for the SARU Sevens tournament are yet to be confirmed, while the SARU Girls’ Under-18 tournament will be hosted in Durban from 6 to 10 July.
“We are pleased to welcome Zimbabwe to our women’s interprovincial competitions,” said SARU President Mr Oregan Hoskins.
“We are committed to helping our neighbouring countries grow the game and become more competitive on the field, and the only way to achieve that is through participation in competitions.
Mr Hoskins said their participation could also be beneficial for SA’s domestic teams as it would introduce fresh competition.
Since the inception of women’s rugby in Zimbabwe, their focus has been mainly on Sevens Rugby, with the national team being regular participants in the Africa Women’s Sevens, formerly known as the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) Sevens. However, their participation in the 15-a-side code at international level has been limited due to their limited resources and player depth.
The inclusion of Zimbabwe’s women’s teams in these competitions follows on the participation of their boys’ teams in the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week, Under-16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week and the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week.