Botswana Rugby Union Strives for Growth Amidst Adversity

• An array of training programmes and workshops underway nonetheless
• Challenges include funding and lack of fully functional land

The Head of Marketing at BRU, Simon Kanaimba, has highlighted these efforts, emphasising the training of educators and facilitators in various capacities to bolster awareness and cultivation of the sport throughout the nation.

“The Union is training educators – coaching, match officiating, in different parts of Botswana who will in turn educate and train people in respective capacities to sensitise the community and grow the game of rugby in the four corners of the nation,” Kanaimba said in an exclusive interview with Business Weekly Sports. He held up the Debswana Re Ba Bona Ha project invigorating youth engagement in rugby, saying it extends the Union’s grassroots programmes and hosts tournaments, fostering participation among the youth.

“The Union also supports young people by allowing them to participate in tournaments outside Botswana, for example, in Zimbabwe or South Africa,” Kanaimba said. However, he also spoke candidly about the Union’s challenges. BRU union does not have a fully functional land of its own at the moment, for instance.

Reduced govt subvention

“There are also funding challenges since COVID, with the union getting a reduced government subvention,” he said.

“There are not enough development officers, which is due to lack of funding for the union. This hampers the Union’s development goals.”

But Kanaimba is undeterred in the face of these problems. He spoke of the BRU’s strategic collaborations with other African rugby bodies, which help in enhancing exposure and competence by sending match officials to tournaments in neighbouring countries.

“Through Botswana Tertiary Student Sports Association (BOTSESA) facilitation, the men and female rugby teams compete annually in tertiary games in South Africa,” he said. In an effort to bridge the gender gap in the sport, BRU has set targets for training female coaches, match officials, and other key personnel.

“Women’s 7s and 10s tournaments are also a part of the league schedule and there are attempts to include women’s 15s tournament as well,” he noted.

Female representatives

“Every club affiliated to the union is expected to have female representatives for issues and interests of women rugby players and to communicate them to clubs and the union through a women subcommittee in place.” Looking back on their recent achievements, Kanaimba lauded the Union’s success in training and retaining a substantial number of educators and professionals, including a notable female contingent.

Highlighting the stellar performance of the female rugby team in the 2022 tertiary games in South Africa, he expressed pride in their progress. Further, Kanaimba said the union will be conducting training and education programmes in different regions of the country to capacitate portfolios.

“Interested people can register to take online courses according to their interests and then inform the union so that they may be included in the World Rugby-accredited Level 1 courses that are held physically in their respective locations,” he said.

SA’s Springboks

Meanwhile, as Botswana endeavours to elevate its rugby presence, the nation eagerly awaits the outcome of the Rugby World Cup final where the South African national rugby team, the Springboks, will face off against formidable rivals, New Zealand, at the Stade de France in Paris.

The much-anticipated clash is scheduled for Saturday 28 October 2023 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport. Having clinched the 2019 World Cup title, the Springboks are prepared to defend their championship in this thrilling showdown.