 Today we'd like to speak to an international star when it comes to Mata's rugby. Of course he played rugby at the big stage, both continental and global. I'm talking about the former spring box winger and captain as well, Tondarai Chavanga. Good to see you, bro. Good to see you too, it's great. What do you make of the stay in Kenya? It's been awesome. I've learnt a little bit of Swahili as well, Jambo. Sawa, sawa. Good japa. Songamvele. I'm not at that stage yet, but now it's been a great stay. I've enjoyed working with the kids. It's full of energy, full of talent and it's really been a great stay. I know Yuhiyakata Sofbubesi Foundation pride and initiative that is trying to ensure that young people are given an opportunity and a platform to play rugby and even get to be taught the life skills. Has it been like mingling with Kenyan kids, especially from the tough background? Ya, I think for me I'm one of them. I grew up, I didn't grow up from a rich background. I grew up from a very humble beginning, so for me being able to work with kids that are in the same situation that perhaps I was is great because it's just something that just for me I believe all they need is just an opportunity for them to actually make something of their lives. And I think we are here for rugby, yes, but rugby is merely the doorway into actually sowing positive influence into their lives. I know you've traversed several parts of the country and right now as you speak you are conducting your clinic in the African continent and Kenya. We are blessed to have you around, but generally South Africa when it comes to matters rugby it's a powerhouse, they are heavyweights. They have given us replace nights when we playing against them. Generally in terms of rugby standards in Kenya, do you think we are at par? We are getting somewhere? Look, I think the only reason why, well one of the main reasons why Kenya, Zimbabwe, Namibia and other African rugby houses, rugby countries are not at the same part as South Africa is, I think the main reason is finances. If you look at where we are today, we were supposed to be training the kids, but because of the rain the field is in such a bad state that even we can't even like walk around, it's like you know our shoes and boots are full of mud. Whereas in most parts of South Africa there's enough resources behind it where maybe the fields have got good drainage, things like rain and all of that won't really necessarily affect the kids. So in a nutshell Africa has got a lot of talent, but in order for us to realize the talent that our kids have got it's important that we have the financial muscle behind it. I know just like you indicated earlier when we started this particular interview you said that you know you came from tough backgrounds as well. For someone who is watching and is passionate about rugby and you want to defy odds the same way you did to become a global star, what should they do? Look, I think the most important thing is you've got to have work ethic. You can't achieve anything in life without having that undying spirit of giving your absolute base. And like for me I'll always say that it's important for first of all you might not necessarily have the best access to the coaches and all of that, but I think now there's so much information that you can get from let's say the internet, YouTube on how to pass, how to do so many different things, but most important thing is guys have got to have that hunger to want to want to succeed. And you know going forward I know you've watched our Kenya's national teams both 7s and 15s participating in international events. Do you think we've got what it takes to you know play at the big stage and continue with the same momentum even surpassing what other heavy weights have done? Oh I mean look at what happened last weekend where Kenya actually convincingly beats South Africa. So definitely I think Kenya has got enough talent, but once again their 7s program is going well because there's a bit of financing behind it. So I think if the 15 main game I mean being the assistant coach of the ZIM side we know how talented the Kenyan athletes are, rugby players are. So for us we know that whenever we come to play against Kenya whenever Kenya comes to play against Zimbabwe it's going to be a tough day. But once again it boils down to the financial side of things and if we have just a little bit more finances in our African rugby we're going to have really power houses. There's been this tough argument amongst Kenyan rugby fans between 7s and 15s. Kenyan fans say that 7s is sort of cosmetic. 15s is really rugby. As someone who played both what are your thoughts on the same? Oh look I think realistically speaking if we really want to compete on African stage is on the African sorry on the international stage is African teams. The best way of us doing that is 7s. We've got the athletes we've got I think we've got natural flair that is best suited for the game. So I think if if more once again I always go to the money because you can't you really you can't you know it's a difficult thing to to achieve anything without actually financial backing. So I do believe even when you look at Zimbabwe yes we've got we've had several international 50 men players like Beast Mataarira Dave Pocock and you know then the list goes on. Yes that have really achieved the biggest stages in the world but it's because they went to really good schools and then from the really good schools they were then signed to like the Sharks or the Brumbies or the Western Force which is where their talents were able to actually be realized. So I think with us just a little bit of financial backing the 7s programs will go a long way and I it has shown Kenya can Kenya has beaten the top size in the 7s has beaten the old legs has beaten South Africa has beaten everybody so there is no reason why they cannot continue to to beat the top nations there's no reason why Zimbabwe cannot continue or cannot beat the the top 7s nations either. So as we speak right now Zimbabwe is a country that is coming up very well when it comes to Mataarira. Their growth has been quite tremendous and you are the assistant coach for their national team things like Look at stuff it's really tough we've got the talent but we don't have from a corporate point of view because the corporates are struggling financially they can't put money into our rugby players. I mean what our players get paid is absolutely peanuts and majority of the players really are relying on that money that they get paid by rugby to make a living. So you know we've got all the talent in the world but then we because of a lack of finances it makes it a little bit difficult for us to move forward but however we have obviously significantly improved by winning the Victoria Cup last year of which you know we had our last game against Kenya here which we lost Kenya were the better team on the day but yeah look at the end of the day African rugby is very strong and I think it will continue to get better. What was the feeling like when South Africa beat England during the 2019 rugby world cup you know being crowned champions and you know the prestigious trophy coming back home in job back how was it like in terms of celebration the mood Man look I mean from a personal point of view I never I never once had a doubt that we would win it but yeah I think the the celebration winning the world cup was just I mean it was amazing but what was even more more amazing Once again we look at the kids that we're working with here they're all coming from you know obviously very tough backgrounds which someone like Sia Kulisi did come from he didn't come from money either so I think that victory was quite significant not only for South Africa but for the continent as well. Generally your take on the run as far as HSB7 series is concerned we are on the fourth leg just concluded over the weekend in Sydney 7s what do you make of the progress the run the campaign now is it been like in terms of competition stiff yeah I mean it's always it's always really tough it's always really tough but as you know with it's I think the top the top four have haven't changed that much in the last few years so you can predict you can cannot predict however I mean when you look at the group stages you know surprises do happen where anybody can beat anybody at the end of the day so but it's it's great competition and I think it's obviously the women's game is also taking a little bit long to really get going but it's awesome that they're playing at the same stage as the men as well and we need we need our ladies you know being given that platform to showcase their talents and you know on a light note when we have an international star round or in terms of success of any global icon Kenyans tend to associate themselves with them now that you are in Kenya a few rugby fans who know about your error about want you to continue with your stay in Kenya and probably if possible run some initiative here in Nairobi that will go along when helping rugby growth and development of the same what's your work to them I mean I'm Zimbabwean I live in South Africa but most importantly I'm an African yeah I'm here because you know I think I've been given a platform where you know I can have some sort of uh inspiration to some kids some way yes so wherever I can get the opportunity I would love to come back to Kenya again and and run this this this type of initiatives and I think it's it's it's great that you know Kenya has produced some some really iconic rugby players in the 7th scene not just not just on the African continent but you know internationally if you look at guy like Colin Zingera what he has been able to do over the last more than 10 years has just been phenomenal so it's great I'm sure Colin and someone like Colin would have you know programs like that as well and I mean is when you know when we work with these kids all the kids know who Colin is so so Collins is so it's it's awesome you're patting short your final thoughts with regards to rugby in Kenya rugby in Africa and even rugby at the wild stage yeah just I think rugby in Africa is very much alive we've got all the talent that that we need and we just need to we just need to make sure that the there's certain stuff that we can do that don't require a lot of finances you know so I think our unions need to do better in terms of coming up with really good programs grassroots programs that that can get kids more kids more involved in rugby tundera ichavanga former spring box captain, winger speaking to us exclusively to give this source with regards to rugby in Kenya in Nairobi especially the potential among the kids of course lauding the growth for you know what he's been witnessed during their clinics they have been conducting in Nairobi and he's saying that we'll be back in Kenya for the Kenyan girls who've been on Twitter saying that they want tundera ichavanga to stay he says he'll continue stay and probably will come back thank you