DURBAN - Zimbabwe Rugby Union president Nyararai Sibanda has vowed to push through a new and all-inclusive selection criteria for all national teams.

Sibanda, who was elected in May to replace John Falkenberg, said this exercise comes with no financial implications and should be easy to implement.

Sibanda revealed that he held talks with Western Province, KwaZulu Natal and Free State rugby unions, his aim was to strengthening Zimbabwe rugby structures with a possibility of them touring Zimbabwe.

“We want to see strong sides from age grade teams, so the selection criteria to our national flagship teams have to be revisited. I am not apologetic about it, we have gone that route, it does not require money.

“We want an all-inclusive selection-based team at every level for Zimbabwe,” said Sibanda.

He feels national junior team selectors are not given enough time to choose teams and steps were being taken to ensure they had adequate time to assembly strong and representative national teams instead of only picking sides a few days before tournaments.

Sibanda said they had plans to resuscitate and maintain Bulawayo’s Hartsfield Rugby Grounds, the Police Grounds (Harare) as well as Gweru and Mutare as premier rugby venues in the country.

Sibanda also shared his thought on the Zimbabwe Schools Under-18 side at the Craven Week festival in Durban after watching the boys go down to a 5-78 drubbing by Griquas Under-18 on Wednesday.

“My thoughts are piecemeal, but obviously you saw that the strength and conditioning is an issue. I need to be convinced that selection was also exhaustive.

“I am sure they can do better; they have put their bodies out there, but I am sure with adequate preparations they should do better and we should see a better team going forward,” said Sibanda.