The Zimbabwe U20 rugby team, known as the Junior Sables, are gearing up for another intense season with their sights set on the upcoming Barthes Trophy U20 Africa Cup campaign, they have arranged a series of warm-up matches in preparation before the tournament.
The Junior Sables, champions in 2022 and 2023 and finalists in 2024, will kick off their preparation on March 19th at Hartsfield in Bulawayo, where they will face the Australia Outback Barbarians. Following this match, from March 22nd to April 5th, they will participate in the Nedbank Rugby Challenge Cup at Old Hararians and Harare Sports Club.
Their journey will culminate in the Barthes Trophy U20 Africa Cup, which is set to take place on home soil from April 17th to 27th. The tournament, which previously featured 16 teams, underwent a format change in 2023, reducing the number of participating teams.
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By 2024, only Kenya, Namibia, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe remained in contention. Competing at home this year provides Zimbabwe with a distinct advantage, and they are determined to reclaim the title after narrowly losing to Kenya in 2024.
After the Barthes Trophy, the Junior Sables will shift their focus to two matches against the Sharks U20 on May 1st and 4th, with venues yet to be confirmed.
The excitement will peak on May 4th when they are set to curtain-raise the Battle of the Zambezi—a senior test match between Zimbabwe and Zambia. This high-stakes encounter also serves as a warm-up for Zimbabwe’s RWC 2027 qualifiers in Uganda, making it a must-win game for the Sables.
