Covid-19 KOs Craven Week rugby

FIFTY-SIX years after its inauguration, the Craven Week rugby festival will not be taking place this year, as the popular schools jamboree, just like the bulk of major international events, has been knocked off the calendar by the coronavirus pandemic.

The tournament, which takes place annually in South Africa, began in 1964, and Zimbabwe has been regularly sending teams for the tourney.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, SA Rugby and the South African Schools’ Rugby Association had to make the difficult decision to call off all the Youth Weeks.

This includes the Academy Week (Under18), Grant Khomo Week (Under-16), LSENweek (for learners with special educational needs), as well as the Craven Week for Primary Schools (Under-13).

It was very unlikely that these weeks would have taken place as the South African lockdown was extended for another two weeks by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Zimbabwe Rugby Union president Aaron Jani said although the cancellation had left many young players gutted, they had explained to them that their health was a

THE lives and careers of former Zimbabwe international and CAPS United football star Stewart “Shutto” Murisa and his late mother, Gladys, are intertwined beyond just that of a mother and son.

Without Gladys Murisa there would be no Stewart, Charles or Ngoni Murisa to talk about.

And without Gladys’ glittering netball career, there would probably be no Murisa dynasty to talk about in Zimbabwean football either.

Gladys, a former St Mary’s netball club and Zimbabwe legend, died in February 2015 after a short illness.

She gave this nation a fine striker, Stewart, who achieved a rare feat by many footballers: that of making his mark at the country’s biggest clubs – Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS.

Stewart was the first born of Gladys’ seven children.

As a child, Stewart and his siblings often accompanied their mother to her netball games, and it is through those trips that Shutto traces back his love for sport and football in particular.

Stewart’s crowning moment was to arrive in 1996 when he was voted the Soccer Star of the Year after inspiring Steve Kwashi’s CAPS to the League and Cup title.

“She used to take us to her games when we were kids, and I remember watching her play at Huruyadzo grounds in St Mary’s when I was still around five.

“I barely understood the game back then, but major priority.

The festivals are considered a key part of ZRU’s development programmes.

“This obviously comes as a huge blow to our plans for 2020. Our boys will be very disappointed. It is not the end of the world, their health and well-being comes first.

“To be honest, we were expecting this decision. So it is no surprise at all, but we are hopeful that sooner rather than later we can begin some local rugby and end the season on a high note,’’ Jani said.

Those who will be leaving high school at the end of the year will be the most affected.

“For some senior boys this was their last opportunity to represent Zimbabwe at school level. For those boys it will be a bitter pill to swallow … but that happens in life,’’ he said.

According to reports from South Africa, the Youth Weeks were left without a sponsor in 2018.

However, adjustments were made earlier this year to ensure that the tournaments continued despite major financial constraints.

The lockdown will undoubtedly have major financial implications for South Africa’s economy.

This will further put stress on SA Rugby’s

budget and the future of the various Youth Weeks might be in jeopardy.

The biggest annual school rugby tournament in the world, the Craven Week, is without a sponsor after Coca-Cola and Saru decided not to renew their long-standing 35-year relationship in 2018.

This year’s Academy Week, as well as Under-13 Craven Week, were already not part of SA Rugby’s budget.

Parents of players selected to represent their provinces would have had to pick up the tab.

It is, however, not a new occurrence in schools’ sport as the Nuffield Week, as it was known back then, was not held in 1955 due to the polio outbreak.

It also took a break in 1971 because school-leavers were called up for national service after writing their matric exams.

The Nuffield Week (now the Khaya Majola Week) then moved from a December tournament to a tournament hosted in January for a couple of years to ensure the tournament survived the Border War.

The Craven Week was also disrupted back in 1975 and 1976 when the Transvaal schools moved to a three-term year.

The prestigious tournament was split into two, with the Transvaal schools hosting their own Craven Week and the rest of the country playing as normal.