Zimbabwe national rugby union team

Common card · No. 272501

The Zimbabwe national rugby union team, nicknamed the Sables, represents the Zimbabwe in international men's competition. While sides representing the colony of Rhodesia have played as early as 1910, the modern day Zimbabwe rugby team did not play its first Test until 1981, against Kenya. Zimbabwe has competed in two World Cups, in 1987 and 1991, in place of South Africa, who were sanctioned by the International Rugby Board (IRB) at the time due to apartheid. Zimbabwe is categorised as Tier 3 Development One, which prioritises Zimbabwe over other nations due to historical success as well as popularity of rugby in the nation. During the colonial days, the team had an association with touring British Isles teams, who regularly played matches against them in their tours of South Africa, the earliest tour being in 1910 when Zimbabwe was known as Southern Rhodesia. The side has also played New Zealand on several occasions, the first being in the late 1920s. Rhodesia was the only non-Tier 1 nation...

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