LUSAKA, Zambia, July 14, 2018/ -- As much as the spotlight is on the ongoing Silver Cup games between Botswana, Madagascar and Zambia being hosted at Mufulira Rugby Club courtesy of Mopani Copper Mines, the Get Into Rugby Zambia programme has also been conducting activities aimed at growing and expanding it's influence among the young people.

The months of June and July, 2018 have recorded several age grade tournaments being held in different parts of the country courtesy of the TAG RUGBY TRUST (TRT) Five (5) Schools and (3) community teams in Kafue District (Lusaka Province)  which is 60kms south of Lusaka town came together at Khosa Stadium for an under 14s Tag tournament. Some of the participants came from Shikoswe Primary, Mutendere Primary, HighView Community Sch, Soloboni Primary and Naboye Community teams. The local organiser, who is also Get Into Rugby Kafue Coordinator Mr David Manda was full of praise with the progress being recorded in terms of numbers of participants and the impact rugby is having in the society.

The tourist capital of Zambia, Livingstone  in the Southern Province also had Tag Rugby games on Friday and the local organiser Mr Lovemore Maphosa, who is also Livingstone Get Into Rugby Coordinator was thrilled with the achievements being made in his location. He said, "It is an honor working alongside the Tag Rugby volunteers each time they come here, their motto of (Building Futures Through Rugby) bonds well with my personal belief. The game has opened so many doors and given me plenty opportunities". Things can only get better going forward".

The Copperbelt Province of Zambia has also had its fair share of Tag Rugby activities. Tag rugby volunteers were in Kitwe in the last week of June and conducted trainings for local teachers and pupils at 5 locations spread across town before a tournament which was honored at Mpelembe School. Ndola city was the other Copperbelt town which had activities on Saturday 14th July, 2018, the program also attracted 5 local communities targeting a total of 50 boys/girls from each location at a tournament held at Simba International School.

Tag Rugby Trust Zambia Coordinator Mr Christopher Mwamba said the trust has had a positive influence on the local scene for the last 10 years. He said " The trust has been in Zambia since 2006 and believe it or not, 40/50% of all players in the Schools, Colleges, Universities, Clubs and National teams have interacted and been impacted by Tag rugby. 

This development has cheered Get Into Rugby Zambia Project Manager Tom Chaloba who echoed the sentiments of TRT. We have recorded an increase not only in terms of numbers of participants, but also numbers of activities being held across the country. As a union, it shows that the structures we have put in place are working and everyone is putting in the hard work so as to get the job done. The partnership between the Zambia Rugby Union and cooperating partners such as Tag Rugby Trust bonds well with our strategic plan of increasing female participation in the game to 40% by the year 2021. "We are making steady and remarkable progress in our mission to take rugby to all corners of Zambia" he said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia Rugby Union (ZRU).