World Rugby leaders to visit Zimbabwe as Sables prepare for RWC 2027

World Rugby chair Brett Robinson and Rugby Africa president Herbert Mensah will make a five-day visit to Zimbabwe as the Sables prepare for their return to the Rugby World Cup. The delegation will be in the country from Sunday, August 23, to Thursday, August 27, ahead of the 2027 tournament in Australia.

Robinson and Mensah will be accompanied by World Rugby chief of international federations David Carrigy. The visitors are scheduled to meet senior government officials, rugby authorities, stakeholders and partners during their stay.

The discussions will centre on Zimbabwe’s preparations for the World Cup and the structures needed to support the national team. Player welfare, high-performance systems, investment, governance and the wider development of rugby are also on the agenda.

Zimbabwe secured Africa’s qualification place for the 2027 World Cup, earning the Sables their first appearance at the tournament since 1991. Their return comes after participation in the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup, created to provide more regular high-level Tests and improve the pathway to the World Cup.

In the opening phase of that competition, Zimbabwe played Tonga, the United States and Canada. Those fixtures gave the Sables experience against established international teams as they build towards their first World Cup campaign in 36 years. The Nations Cup is part of changes to the international calendar intended to create more meaningful matches for emerging and established unions.

The visit will also examine how the momentum from qualification can support the sport beyond the senior national team. Grassroots participation, commercial partnerships and long-term rugby structures will form part of the wider focus. World Rugby has 135 member unions across six regional associations, representing more than 500 million fans and eight million players worldwide.

Robinson, elected World Rugby chair in November 2024, has a personal link to Zimbabwe after previously playing rugby there. His return as head of the global governing body comes as the country prepares to use its World Cup qualification and Nations Cup involvement to strengthen rugby nationally.