Harare’s neighbouring boys’ high schools Allan Wilson and Prince Edward will travel the longest distance to play each other when they touch down in Bulawayo for the annual Power Sales Schools Rugby tournament set for Friday and Saturday at Hartsfield.

The two schools, that are separated by only a shoulder-length fence erected on the first square metres of the capital’s Baines Avenue, have not met in a rugby encounter for over a year and few would have

expected their next encounter to occur 420 kms away from their joint premises.

Themba Phiri, chief organizer of the biggest schools tournament in Bulawayo, enunciated that PE and Dub were in the same group and were expected to light up the festival that has attracted more than 25

schools including girls’ sides and Under-16 teams. 

Some of the schools involved in the tournament are Churchill, Gifford, Milton, Petra, Plumtree, Morgan, Wise Owl, St Bernards, St Columbus, Sobukazi, Northlea, Msiteli, Inyanda, Goromonzi and Enthumbane.

“We want rugby fans to come and witness the future of Zimbabwe’s rugby today. This is going to be one of the most exciting tournaments ever especially that we are also featuring girls teams and also U16 sides.

The presence of Petra will add quality to competition while the clash between traditional rivals Plumtree and Milton and the one between PE and Allan Wilson will add value,’’ said Phiri.

While Shaun de Souza, the PE head coach, said they were fielding their second-string side as the first team was resting after their recent Namibian excursion, both Allan Wilson and Churchill who travelled to

Bulawayo on Thursday morning will field their strongest sides.

“This is our first engagement of the pre-season and therefore we are taking it very seriously,’’ Livingstone Maurukira, who is the sports director of Allan Wilson, said.

Petra and Milton high schools were in action at a recent competition hosted by Falcon and have warmed up well for the Power Sales tournament, making them two of the pre-tournament favourites especially that they will be performing in their home town.