Overseas teams add spice to Mzansi Challenge

After being fed a steady diet of domestic Currie Cup First Division rugby, three international teams will add spice to SA’s domestic programme when the Msanzi Challenge kicks off. Despite two of the original teams (Barcelona Diables and Tel Aviv Heat) not being the final line-up there is plenty of action for players and fans to look forward to.

Zimbabwe Goshawks coach Brendan Dawson said a lack of finances had forced his team to pull out of the first three rounds of the competition.

They were scheduled to face the Leopards (March 25), EP Elephants (April 1) and Boland Cavaliers (April 8) in the opening rounds of the tournament.

The SA teams will be awarded league points for the cancelled matches.

SA Rugby said there were financial responsibilities incumbent on international teams, which they had to meet to participate.

The Elephants will face the Kenyan Simbas, Welwitschias (Namibia) and the San Clemente Rhinos (Mexico/USA) in the tournament.

Bay rugby fans can look forward to Simbas playing in Gqeberha at the Adcock Stadium.

EP will travel to Windhoek to play Namibia and their game against the San Clemente Rhinos will be played in Cape Town.

Since the demise of the Southern Kings and a dearth of Test match rugby in the region, visits by international teams are rare.

While the Mzansi Challenge cannot be compared to top-tier competitions like the United Rugby Championship and PRO14, it does offer EP players international exposure.

EP manager Rafiek Hermans says his team are looking forward to measuring themselves against international teams.

The decision by the Spanish rugby team Diables to withdraw robbed EP of a rare opportunity to measure themselves against European opposition.

The fledgling Barcelona-based team, which was formed in 2021, pulled out of the tournament because of logistical challenges.

Diables, who were beaten by the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in 2021 in a Toyota Challenge clash, said they were disappointed to exit the event and hoped to visit SA again in the near future.

Last month SA Rugby announced it had withdrawn an invitation to the Tel Aviv Heat to play in the tournament.

It would be special if EP charge all the way to the Msanzi Challenge final on June 17.