Osborne targets Sables return
TWENTY-TWO years after his last dance with the Sables, experienced British coach Collin Osborne is poised to revive his romance with the senior team should he convince the Zimbabwe Rugby Union he still has what it takes for the national coach’s job.
Osborne worked for the ZRU as both national coach and director of coaching and development between 1987 and 1996 before relocating to his native United Kingdom.
He has been working as a skills coach with English Premiership club Harlequins.
But the ZRU gave their biggest hint of a possible reunion with Osborne when they invited him to Harare as one of the four candidates they have shortlisted for the Sables coaching position.
The new ZRU leadership, under Aaron Jani, have made qualification for the 2019 Rugby World Cup a major priority.
Osborne arrived in the country on Tuesday and becomes the second high-profile coach after former Springboks mentor Peter de Villiers to come for an assessment.
De Villiers was interviewed on Tuesday, a day after he had held a coaching clinic for the national Under-20 side with the respected South African expressing satisfaction with the talent he saw in Zimbabwe.
Osborne yesterday also conducted a coaching course for some potential Sables players in Harare before meeting an interview panel that includes one of his former players — Brighton Chivandire.
Chivandire played under Osborne in 1995 when the Sables, then at the peak of their powers, competed regularly against South African provincial sides in the Bankfin Cup.
Interestingly, Brendon Dawson, who has also applied for the post, having previously coached the national team was part of Osborne’s Sables.
Former Zimbabwe eighthman Dawson, is the only locally-based coach on the shortlist of coaches.
New ZRU boss and former Zimbabwe wing Jani, Elimon “Bedford’’ Chimbima, Tendai Tabvuma, Brian Beattie, Dave Kirkman, Dave Walters, Naboth Mujaji and Craig Brown were some of the players that also featured regularly in Osborne’s team.
As part of his programme in the country, Osborne held a two-day open and closed coaching clinic for different stakeholders at St John’s College.
Today and tomorrow he will hold similar clinics in Bulawayo before leaving on Saturday.
ZRU vice-president Lawson Mtongwizo, said yesterday they were looking forward to engaging a reputable coach to guide the Sables.
The ZRU have also set up a Sables committee that will help the union mobilise resources for the country’s flagship team, which is headed by prominent Harare lawyer Gerald Mlotshwa.
Mlothswa said although he was not privy to how the interview process had been going, he was satisfied with the interactions he had with de Villiers and Osborne.
The businessman heads a seven-member committee which includes, brand builder Thembe Khumalo, former player and Bulawayo businessman Neil Nesbitt, the Sables first black captain and now a coach and administrator Kennedy Tsimba Edwin Gumbo (chartered accountant), Sam Samu (former Sables manager), Pascal Musavaya (former Sables player and Mtongwizo.
“I am not privy to the interview processes or indeed who has been interviewed per se. That’s the responsibility of the technical committee of the ZRU.
“I did however have lunch with de Villiers yesterday, and dinner with Osborne, the subject matter of conversation being centred around the state of rugby around the world and Zimbabwe in particular. Very stimulating conversation,’’ Mlotshwa said.