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Ex-All Black left with 'two questions' over selections vs Springboks
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Dave Ewers ends retirement and is gunning for long-awaited first cap
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Former England Saxons representative Dave Ewers has joined the Zimbabwe national team on a trial.
The 35-year-old ended his professional career at the end of last season, having spent a year with the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship.
However, in an update from Hippos Fans Club on X, the back-row appears to have joined the Zimbabwe camp ahead of two Tests against Zambia over the coming weeks.
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Despite playing for an England XV against the Barbarians in 2014 and England Saxons against South Africa A in 2016, as well as being called into England camps under Eddie Jones, the Exeter Chiefs legend never got the chance to play Test rugby. That opportunity may now arise with the country of his birth.
Ewers grew up in Zimbabwe before moving to England in his early teens, where he joined the Exeter academy and made his debut for the club as a teenager. After over a decade with the club, where he made over 200 appearances, won multiple Gallagher PREM titles and an Investec Champions Cup, he moved to Ulster in 2023 and the Stormers last season before hanging up his boots.
He could be back playing again, although information about this career choice is scarce. Zimbabwe qualified for the 2027 World Cup last year, so any return may not only see Ewers eventually make his bow on the Test stage, but he could even play at a World Cup next year.
In what has been a busy month for Zimbabwe, a fixture with South Africa A has also been confirmed, which will be sandwiched between their double-header against Zambia and their Nations Championship fixtures against Tonga, the USA and Canada in July.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to test ourselves against one of the world’s top rugby nations and a truly elite system,” Zimbabwe head coach Pieter Benade said. “It’s a challenge we embrace and one that promises to push our standards to another level.
“Experiences like this are invaluable. They expose our players to the highest level of competition, accelerate their growth and play a key role in the continued development of our squad. We’re looking forward to the lessons ahead and the chance to showcase our progress on the international stage.”
World Cup-winning Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus added: “The match between the SA ‘A’ team and Zimbabwe will serve as a fantastic opportunity for both teams to achieve some of their objectives with the Rugby World Cup in mind, and from a South African point of view, we have seen the benefits of having an SA ‘A’ team playing against quality opposition.”
