HARARE - As the nation examine the wreckage of heartbreak after Zimbabwe’s failure to qualify for the Rugby World Cup next year, the harsh reality of that disappointment becomes harder to accept.
The sweet scent of the World Cup in England has been ruthlessly taken away from us, replaced by an unpleasant odour of great disappointment and defeat.
And for this, neither the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) nor the team is to blame. They did their best, fighting gallantly for their sport and country. Let us lay the blame squarely where it belongs – on the Government and corporate world – for abandoning the team in its greatest hour of need.
Government and sponsors missed a great opportunity to change Zimbabwean sport forever. A wonderful opportunity to be associated with a proud sport and a proud team which had the best chance, drive and ability to put Zimbabwe on the world map at a time our football team has hit its lowest ever ebb, and the sorry state of cricket is a concern of great anguish.
The corporates kept a tight grip on their money when the need was great, probably reserving a few bucks for big newspaper adverts to offer their heartfelt congratulations had the team qualified.
The minister (supposed to be) in charge of Sport in this country, Andrew Langa, and his hyperactive deputy, Tabeth Kanengoni-Malinga, who apparently have secured a substantial amount of money to host an insignificant event, something called the Zone Six Youth Games, would not have missed an opportunity to grandstand as if they have contributed anything meaningful. They would have been at the airport to give the Sables a heroes’ welcome.
Maybe the president of the country would also have hosted the entire winning team at State House and reward each member of the squad with a few thousand dollars.
That’s who we are, we like reap where we did not sow, bask in the glory for which we contributed nothing.
We are a nation which does not believe in investing in success.
Here is a scenario.
Kenya, one of our opponents in the qualification tournament in Madagascar last week, received US$8 million from their Government several months before the games to help with preparations, thanks to the successful lobbying of sports-loving Parliamentarians in their august House.
Even with all that money, with all the good preparations – playing in South Africa’s Vodacom Cup for months – we still were able to put the Kenyans in their rightful place, below us, where they have always belonged.
Imagine then, if we had just a fraction of what the Kenyans had. We surely would be going to England next year.
We surely would have been able to chisel the rough edges of our game before the important trip to Madagascar.
We would not have had to experience our first real match situation at the tournament.
We would have worked on our defence beforehand and by doing so avoided conceding those 22 points against a mediocre Madagascar side in the opening match, which returned to haunt us in the end despite the thumping win.
We would have beaten Namibia this time around, those who saw that unlucky 24-20 defeat would testify to it.
With just a fraction of the money given to the Kenyans, we would have spotted several loopholes, those little things which in the end fatally proved the difference between us and a place in England next year.
What a cruel reminder of our ill-fated tendency as Zimbabweans to hope things happen just by thinking they will happen – without putting in the groundwork and resources.