Midlands Rugby Elects New Substantive Executive Board
The Midlands Rugby Board has transitioned to a substantive regional leadership following an elective AGM at Chaplin High School. Newly elected Chairperson Darren Levendale outlines plans for commercial growth, facility development and high-performance coaching support across the province.
Delicious Mathuthu 
Gweru - The Midlands Rugby Board has ushered in a new era of governance following a successful elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Chaplin High School, transitioning from an interim committee to a substantive regional leadership body.
The election results confirmed Darren Levendale as the substantive Chairperson, tasked with steering the province toward a more structured and commercially viable future.
Levendale, who previously served in an interim capacity, will be supported by a diverse executive committee representing various corners of the region’s rugby landscape.
The new board includes Vice Chairperson Joseph Mudzingwa of the Mahogany Bulls, Secretary Takudzwa Chaparadza from the Kwekwe Diggers and Treasurer Malvern Mapfumo of Josiah Tungamirai (Thornhill) Rugby Airforce.
Tobias Mdlongwa from Mkoba Rugby retains his position as the Midlands Development Officer, while the board’s strategic growth will be overseen by Dr. Pardon Chapatisi from the Midlands Christian College (MCC) as the Member for Marketing and Sponsorship.
Brian Dube, also of MCC, joins as the Director for Training while Chipo Ruwaya of Chaplin High School takes on the role of Women’s Representative.
The newly elected chairperson said the primary achievement of the previous term was the stabilization of the union's internal processes.
"The cornerstone of our tenure has been the establishment of formal administrative and operational structures that we have in place, so I am sure we as a board can overcome most of the challenges ahead of us," Levendale said.
The board’s mandate for the upcoming term focuses heavily on the professionalisation of the sport within the Midlands region.
High on the agenda is the pursuit of commercial growth through the finalisation of title sponsorships for regional leagues and securing kit deals for representative sides.
Additionally, the board intends to address infrastructure deficits by collaborating with local municipalities and clubs to improve the standards of pitches and changing facilities.
Levendale also said the new substantive board will commit to expanding the game’s footprint through increased age-grade participation and school rugby festivals, alongside a community of practice for coaches.
"We need high performance support, creating a community of practice for coaches to share resources and knowledge, ensuring we retain talent in the province," Levendale said.
