Zimbabwean RL?

[Heritage XIII]

With so many rugby union comps calling themselves 'leagues' I came across this article which refers to the NRL & Sydney Roosters. Am wondering if it is an attempt to start a genuine rugby league comp or just a union comp but inspired by the Sydney Roosters work ethic??

https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-sports-sc-rugby-byo-161109.html

 

[Getmefood]

21 minutes ago, Heritage XIII said:

With so many rugby union comps calling themselves 'leagues' I came across this article which refers to the NRL & Sydney Roosters. Am wondering if it is an attempt to start a genuine rugby league comp or just a union comp but inspired by the Sydney Roosters work ethic??

https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-sports-sc-rugby-byo-161109.html

Not too sure but by reading it looks like it's a rugby league competition but states lack of sponsorship. 

[deluded pom?]

To me it looks like a league of rugby i.e. a rugby union league. I’ve never seen or heard of any RL activity in Zimbabwe before. I googled rugby league in Zimbabwe and a couple of articles came up referencing the Zimbabwe NRL but with mentions of and quotes from ZRU officials. The article linked in the OP also shows pictures of the Wallabies and the ABs as well as footage form the Sydney Roosters’ GF win. I think it’s an article about ZRU learning from another sport.

https://businesstimes.co.zw/national-rugby-league-returns/

[Heritage XIII]

I like how WR allow its unions to basically plagiarize the National Rugby League. Even the womens premier league (soccer) in the UK is called Super League apparently? Our sport needs to take ownership of its name & put a stop to all this confusion.

[Honor James]

QUOTE:  from the link posted above by Deluded Pom

FROM   "The Zimbabwe’s national rugby league, which was prematurely abandoned in 2014 due to financial constraints, is set to return this year.............................etc.

But, clubs, who have been under severe economic pressure, have been funding themselves to fulfill fixtures. The establishment of a national league with corporate sponsors will come as a huge relief for clubs which will be absorbed into the proposed league as they have been teetering on the brink and have been struggling to fulfil some of their matches due to financial constraints.

Sportivo, as Harare Sports Club are affectionately known, won the Northern region rugby league last year, ending Old Georgians’ dominance in the region.

Old Georgians have been the most decorated team in the Northern region, winning the league championship title in the two previous rugby seasons. But, the Daniel Hondo coached Sportivo, ended last year’s rugby season unbeaten, beating Old Georgians to the title.

Bulawayo-based rugby outfit, Matabeleland Warriors, won the 2018 Southern region league. ....... etc."

to END OF QUOTE

 

Having lived in Zimbabwe half my life (in two sessions), it seems to me this refers almost certainly to a revival of Rugby Union rather than anything to do with League.

Old Georgians is the the `Old Boys' organisation for St Georges, a (very expensive) private school in Harare - UK equivalent: Eton or Harrow.  Traditionally for boys only (although that may have changed by now) and originally exclusively `white', the private schools were first in the country to accept black students, which they did long before independence ushered in multiratial education for all.

Catering predominantly to the children of rich and influential (say) tobacco farmers, mining magnates, financial supremos, Members of Parliament - and increasingly since independence the main political party `top dogs' - St Georges was always among the top few rugby schools in the country.

It is almost certain that any black rugby players from Rhodesia seeking to join a club in the UK, prior to independence, would have been educated at a private school like St Georges.  The preferred game at `black' schools was, and I'm sure still is, soccer.  Although, important note, there is no such thing there now as a `black' or a `white' school.  As it should have been all along, all schools are now open to any child of any colour, class, creed, code or artificial, human division whatever.

[HarrogateKnights]

Judah Mazive at York formerly of Wakefield academy , Masimbaashe Matongo of Hull FC and Donald Kudangirana (Formerly of Dewsbury) were all born in Zimbabwe all with potential on their day although cant think of any more you would hope that due to the polictical climate there, the posibility of getting more players into the leagues over here would be an option worth exploring

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

If I remember correctly, Trevor Lake who played on the wing for Wigan when I began watching the sport (with Boston on the other) was from Southern Rhodesia.  I remember one of his two tries for Wigan in the 1964-65 cup semi-final, when Wigan beat Swinton 25-10 at Knowsley Road.  He cut in diagonally from the touch line, outpacing the far-from-slow Kenny Gowers at fullback for the Lions.

[HarrogateKnights]

We dont seem to get enough players from South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. There are loads of union players, playing over here from SA but surely a market worth tapping. I genuinely think you could have several options the typical quick wingers/centres and massive props/2nd rowers. A host club with a good reserve grade/DR system might be the best way forwards to get players to come over, similar to how Nigeria are progressing with link up clubs or a league 1 club that thinks outside the box like Coventry or London Skolars

[fighting irish]

How about New York, or Ottowa?

[HarrogateKnights]

Its certainly an option if they can sort out visas etc. Using a resource that is there but not fully tapped into

[Honor James]

On 26/04/2019 at 14:26, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

If I remember correctly, Trevor Lake who played on the wing for Wigan when I began watching the sport (with Boston on the other) was from Southern Rhodesia.  I remember one of his two tries for Wigan in the 1964-65 cup semi-final, when Wigan beat Swinton 25-10 at Knowsley Road.  He cut in diagonally from the touch line, outpacing the far-from-slow Kenny Gowers at fullback for the Lions.

My goodness!  That brings back memories.  Trevor Lake was one of the heart-throb senior boys at the high school my sister and I went to.

A year or two ahead of my sister he was, and therefore way below me daring even to look at such an exalted person - small, cringing first year as I was.  But I did know his wife Pam (nee Southey) who lived in the same, nearby village as we did.  Pam was in my sister's form and her sister was in mine - very nice girls, very nice family.  Their mother Mary was a fabulous gardener who, over the years, became one of my mother's closest friends.  That was after Pam disappeard, I think.

Well got married actually.  We knew that, and that they had come to England so Trevor could play rugby as a career, which you couldn't do there, of course.  I suppose my father would have known it was Rugby League (not Rugby Union) but we didn't even know there were two kinds.  Just rugby - and what amazing thing it seemed to us that someone from Selukwe was able to do that.

Small world,  Zimbabwe (or Southern Rhodesia that was).

 https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/566186984396466037

"Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight."  David Livingstone

[Damien]

On 26/04/2019 at 14:37, HarrogateKnights said:

We dont seem to get enough players from South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. There are loads of union players, playing over here from SA but surely a market worth tapping. I genuinely think you could have several options the typical quick wingers/centres and massive props/2nd rowers. A host club with a good reserve grade/DR system might be the best way forwards to get players to come over, similar to how Nigeria are progressing with link up clubs or a league 1 club that thinks outside the box like Coventry or London Skolars

It probably stems from the fact that South Africa has always been the most anti Rugby League nation of all. There are very good reasons why Rugby League has a presence in Australia and New Zealand but has none in South Africa, with any attempts always getting stopped dead in their tracks.

[Honor James]

3 minutes ago, Damien said:

It probably stems from the fact that South Africa has always been the most anti Rugby League nation of all. There are very good reasons why Rugby League has a presence in Australia and New Zealand but has none in South Africa, with any attempts always getting stopped dead in their tracks.

True.

Rugby Union there will not give in easily to having a rival code poach their territory.  For the (growing) minority who play it theree, it's not just a sport.  It's a religion.

[Oxford]

40 minutes ago, Honor James said:

It's a religion.

Good job so many of us are non'- conformists then, Eh?

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

On ‎27‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 16:21, Honor James said:

My goodness!  That brings back memories.  Trevor Lake was one of the heart-throb senior boys at the high school my sister and I went to.

A year or two ahead of my sister he was, and therefore way below me daring even to look at such an exalted person - small, cringing first year as I was.  But I did know his wife Pam (nee Southey) who lived in the same, nearby village as we did.  Pam was in my sister's form and her sister was in mine - very nice girls, very nice family.  Their mother Mary was a fabulous gardener who, over the years, became one of my mother's closest friends.  That was after Pam disappeard, I think.

Well got married actually.  We knew that, and that they had come to England so Trevor could play rugby as a career, which you couldn't do there, of course.  I suppose my father would have known it was Rugby League (not Rugby Union) but we didn't even know there were two kinds.  Just rugby - and what amazing thing it seemed to us that someone from Selukwe was able to do that.

Small world,  Zimbabwe (or Southern Rhodesia that was).

 https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/566186984396466037

"Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight."  David Livingstone

What a lovely piece of reminiscence and thanks for sharing it with us all, Honor.

Stylistically, it is hard to think of a greater contrast than the two Wigan wingers, Billy Boston and Trevor Lake.  Boston was very direct, with a fearsomely effective high leg action.  As often as not, as I recall, he just brushed opposition wingers out of the way!  Lake was more nippy and jinky (not that Boston was a slouch!), and more inclined to weave and sidestep past opponents.

In the 1964-65 season, to which I alluded, Trevor Lake was Wigan's top try scorer with 40; Boston was next with 24.  All the rest of the team put together managed a further 93!

Towards the end of a gruelling season, Wigan played eight matches in the month of April, including three in four days over Easter (as was the norm - none of this modern, namby-pamby two in four days nonsense!).  Lake and Boston played in all eight, as, incidentally, did Sky commentator Phil Clarke's dad, Colin, who was first choice hooker.  But that is, perhaps, for another thread...!

[Jacob]

Rugby league is growing in popularity in Zimbabwe and South Africa. A national rugby league association will be setup in zimbabwe soon with their national team already invited to Kenya this december for a tournament. A lot of young up and coming union players have already expressed a desire to switch.  

[Henson Park Old Firm]

23 hours ago, Jacob said:

Rugby league is growing in popularity in Zimbabwe and South Africa. A national rugby league association will be setup in zimbabwe soon with their national team already invited to Kenya this december for a tournament. A lot of young up and coming union players have already expressed a desire to switch.  

Hope it's true, where did you source your info?

[Futtocks]

On 26/04/2019 at 14:37, HarrogateKnights said:

We dont seem to get enough players from South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. There are loads of union players, playing over here from SA but surely a market worth tapping. I genuinely think you could have several options the typical quick wingers/centres and massive props/2nd rowers. A host club with a good reserve grade/DR system might be the best way forwards to get players to come over, similar to how Nigeria are progressing with link up clubs or a league 1 club that thinks outside the box like Coventry or London Skolars

There have been a lot in the past, especially in the period when there was a ban on signing Australian imports. But it goes right back to the likes of George "Tank" van Rooyen, who switched codes in the early 1920s to play for HKR, then Wigan, then Widnes.

There's a book about it, which I would really recommend (once you get past the early part about the labyrinthine structures of RU in South Africa/Rhodesia): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tries-Conversions-African-League-Players-ebook/dp/B00VVQ01QK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=peter+lush+tries+and+conversions&qid=1597957150&sr=8-1 

[OriginalMrC]

Coventry Bears used to have a Zimbabwean player back in the amateur days. A flying winger called Francis Slater, was a very good player. The Bears have also had South African players over the years. These guys are mainly players who have moved over to England and fancy trying the other code. It's surprising Super League has not tried to tap into South African talent pools. Presumably because it would be expensive with no guarantee of success. 

[Whippet13]

Episode 69 of Chasing Kangeroos podcast from last month was primarily about South African Rugby League, the article starts at 24 minutes in: 

 https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xMDNmZmM0L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz/episode/ZjhkYjYzYjgtMWM1Ni00ZWU0LTlkN2UtYjI0YmY5ZmRjNTUy?sa=X&ved=0CCwQzsICahcKEwj4_ozB5arrAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ

[EastLondonMike]

Wasn't Andre Stoop from Zimbabwe? Ex Wigan, London and maybe Salford (?) Fullback.

[Gooleboy]

On 26/04/2019 at 14:26, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

If I remember correctly, Trevor Lake who played on the wing for Wigan when I began watching the sport (with Boston on the other) was from Southern Rhodesia.  I remember one of his two tries for Wigan in the 1964-65 cup semi-final, when Wigan beat Swinton 25-10 at Knowsley Road.  He cut in diagonally from the touch line, outpacing the far-from-slow Kenny Gowers at fullback for the Lions.

His Wembley try against Hunslet wasn't bad either. My first Wembley Final as an eight year old, and what a game.

[nadera78]

4 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

Wasn't Andre Stoop from Zimbabwe? Ex Wigan, London and maybe Salford (?) Fullback.

Namibia, I think 

[The Rocket]

On 28/04/2019 at 01:35, Honor James said:

For the (growing) minority who play it theree, it's not just a sport.  It's a religion.

As I said else where , there is nothing as powerful as an idea,  whos time has come.

[EastLondonMike]

4 hours ago, nadera78 said:

Namibia, I think 

That was it.