World Rugby Services Manager for Africa Steph Nel is in Zambia, Mr Nel who is accompanied by World Rugby Coach Trainer Denver Wannies and Get Into Rugby Coordinator for Central and Southern Africa Johnbosco Muamba, who is also a World Rugby Referee Educator.
The trio is in the country for a Union Review and other capacity building measures aimed at ensuring sustainable growth and development of the game in the Southern African Country.
Speaking when he joined about 50 boys and girls at Lusaka Rugby Club on Sunday morning, Steph, who flew into Zambia after watching the Barthe's u20 group C games in Zimbabwe, the Rugby Services Manager, who was accompanied to the Lusaka Showgrounds by Zambia Rugby Union President Gen Clement Sinkamba, Union Head of Secretariat Noble Sinkamba, ZRU Communications Manager Tom Chaloba, Lusaka Youth Rugby Patron Mibela Chileshe and Lusaka Youth Rugby Coordinator Michelo Shelleni, expressed delight at the level of interest from the young ruggers.
"It is always a pleasure to see the future of African Rugby being shaped. Zambia like most countries has made significant strides towards increasing the number of participants in the game at all levels such as Youths, Girls/Women and also the Men folk" he said.
He added that the country had plenty of potential to put its mark on the Continental and International platforms especially in the area of Women's rugby. "The introduction of the Women's World Cup has given hope to alot of Countries and Zambia Rugby must take advantage of this competition to make the global eyes see what it has in store".
Some of the capacity building activities lined up include Get Into Rugby review, Level 2 Coach and Referee Training, Level 1 Coaching Children Programme, Introduction of Activate plus the I ALSO PLAY REFEREE Programme.
Zambia Rugby Union President Gen Clement Sinkamba ,who is also newly elected Executive Committee Member of Africa Rugby, called on all Rugby Coaches and Referees who had been invited to attend the workshop to ensure they take full advantage of the visit by the high level delegation.
"The game is evolving all the time hence we want to make sure our Coaches and Referees are well educated so they can position themselves for current and future trends, we have lagged behind for too long but from now onwards, it's full throttle ahead".
The training workshop start on Monday 22nd up to Wednesday 24th April, 2019 in Lusaka.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia Rugby Union (ZRU).