Roseline Mutare
Owen Davies Inter Provincial Rugby Tournament (IPT) is set to take place on August 1-2, 2025, at Kyle Preparatory School in Masvingo City with Hilton Mudariki, the captain of the Zimbabwe national rugby team, the Sables, as guest of honor.
Eight provinces will participate in the highly anticipated event, showcasing their rugby prowess and competing for the top spot. The participating provinces include South Eastern District, Matabeleland, Mashonaland West, Midlands, Harare North, Harare West, Easterns, and Harare South.
Tafadzwa Chindanya, the school head, expressed his excitement about hosting the tournament, highlighting the importance of promoting rugby development in the country.
“We are thrilled to host this prestigious tournament at Kyle Preparatory School, Rugby is a growing sport in Zimbabwe boosted by the country’s qualification for the 2027 world cup, and events like these help identify and nurture young talent,” said Chindanya.
The tournament is named in honor of Owen Davies, a pioneering figure in Zimbabwean rugby. Born in Wales, Davies was schooled at Llandovery College, where he played alongside rugby legend Sir Gareth Edwards. After moving to Zimbabwe, Davies introduced rugby to Lilfordia School and became a respected voice in the sport. Following his untimely death in 1995, the Junior Schools Rugby Inter-provincial tournament was renamed the ‘Owen Davies’ IPT in 1997.
Chindanya said the Winner’s Trophy, is donated by the Welsh Rugby Union, features a glass vial containing a piece of turf from the Cardiff Arms Park, extricated by Welsh greats Paul Thorburn and Gareth Edwards. The Player of the Tournament Trophy was donated by Llandovery College.
“This year’s tournament promises to be an electrifying encounter, with each province vying for dominance on the rugby pitch. Prizes to be won include the plate trophy, most spirited team award, and individual prizes such as best forward, best backline player, and most promising player,” added Chindanya.
Zimbabwe’s rugby team, the Sables, has been making waves internationally, recently qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time since 1991 after beating powerhouse Namibia 30-28 in the Rugby Africa Cup final in Kampala last week.
