Zambia Rugby Union applauds OYDC

Zambia Rugby Union applauds OYDC

The Zambia Rugby Union (ZRU) is hopeful that with the way the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge is being run at the OYDC Zambia – Sports Development Centre more athletes will be nurtured to compete at future Commonwealth Games.

Union spokesperson Tom Chaloba who was witnessing some games held on 18 June disclosed that OYDC is helping the union to identify and add more numbers to rugby teams in the country who later are selected to be part of the national team.

He adds that the crop of athletes who take part in the Teulings Youth Sports Challenge has the skills to be showcased at competitive games such as the Commonwealth games.

“We are very much concerned with fewer numbers in the game. You will be glad to note that a few weeks ago we had the super week where we were training several coaches and referees. This is all aimed at ensuring that the game is growing in all strands. OYDC is doing well as far as bringing in the requisite numbers of participants in the game. We need more numbers, especially in the developmental categories that are the U18, U19 and U20s and ultimately in the senior squads. This is working in line with what we want to archive especially that Zambia Sevens will be at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. We realized that at the next Commonwealth or Olympic Games these crops of players may not be able to take part in those games hence the need to start identifying more talent from youth league games such as the Teulings here at OYDC Zambia” he said.

OYDC Zambia has in the last few years contributed some athletes to different local clubs and the junior and senior national teams.

Rugby is among other fast-growing sports disciplines at the OYDC such that the home-based team has been winning trophies at different local championships.

Meanwhile, like any other weekend, OYDC also organised games in taekwondo and netball were over 300 athletes took part in the youthful league.