Capitalk Reporter/ The Herald |  9 months ago | sport

The Zimbabwe Under-20 rugby team’s technical department has named a squad of 61 players in preparation for the World Rugby-sanctioned Under-20 International Series to be played in Canada in August.

Junior Sables head coach Shaun de Souza said after recently receiving an invitation to feature in the high-profile tournament, they have named a preliminary squad of 61 players while they are still awaiting confirmation on the availability of some players based in South Africa.

The squad is dominated by players who were part of the group which sensationally won the Africa Rugby Under-20 Barthes Trophy with a victory over Namibia in the final.

The Junior Sables, who are the reigning African champions after clinching the Rugby Africa Under-20 Barthes Trophy in Kenya in April, will represent the continent in the four-nation tournament which will also feature the hosts Canada, Chile and Uruguay.

Following the cancellation of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship and Trophy 2021 due to the ongoing impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic, World Rugby has worked with regions and unions to identify safe competition opportunities.

The International Series which will be played from August 9 to 24 at the University of Guelph campus in Ontario is expected to give the Junior Sables some much-needed international exposure ahead of next year’s World Rugby Under-20 Trophy.