St George’s College: A rugby powerhouse built on purpose, precision and pride

BY A CORRESPONDENT

HARARE – St George’s College, fondly known as Saints, has firmly established itself as a dominant force in Zimbabwean schoolboy rugby in the over a century history of this great school.

The Dragons, as the first XV are proudly called, represent not just a team but a well-oiled rugby institution driven by structure, discipline, and an enduring culture of excellence.

The 2025 Dragons were captained by Iphile Anesu Chigiji, a formidable leader who also captained the Zimbabwe Under-18 team. He was supported by vice-captain Julius Nyikavaranda, forming a leadership duo that brought grit, resilience, and strategic thinking both on and off the field.

Their leadership reflected the tone set by head coach Ricky Chirengende, whose credentials speak volumes. Chirengende is also head cosch of Zimbabwe’s national Sevens team—the Cheetahs—and assistant coach of the World Cup-bound Fifteens national team. His presence injected elite-level insight, professionalism, and national team standards into the school’s rugby programme.

Central to St George’s success was a cohesive and highly skilled backline that remains intact for the 2026 season—an invaluable asset in maintaining on-field chemistry and tactical fluidity.

Supporting the first XV is one of the most accomplished feeder systems in the country. From St Michael’s to Hartmann House through the red blazer route, to Under-14, Under-15, and Under-16, players are nurtured in both skill and character, forming a steady pipeline of rugby excellence. This pathway is complemented by merit-based bursaries awarded to talented rugby students, ensuring that opportunity and excellence go hand in hand. The second XV capped an unbeaten season in 2025, underscoring the school’s impressive depth and readiness to feed the first XV with game-ready talent.

St George’s remarkable rise was intentional. Coming off a challenging 2023 season—marked by four losses to Lomagundi College, Falcon College, and twice to Peterhouse and a draw with St John’s College—the programme underwent a strategic reset. That year served as a turning point, fueling a deliberate trajectory of growth anchored in technical refinement, mental toughness, and enhanced systems across all age groups.

The transformation was swift and emphatic. In 2024, the Dragons recorded only one loss—to St John’s College—and drew with Peterhouse. In 2025, they again suffered a single defeat, also at the hands of St. John’s. The climax came in the final game of the 2025 season—a title decider away to Peterhouse’s Kings, with both teams having recorded one loss each. In a high-stakes showdown, the Dragons rose to the occasion and secured a commanding 31–17 victory to crown an outstanding campaign.

This triumph was historic. The last time the Dragons dominated the Zimbabwean schoolboy rugby scene was during the 2011–2013 era, when a formal national schoolboy rugby league was in place. That golden period featured consistently strong squads, including the 2012 side captained by Junior Hlahla, who also served as head-boy.

The 2025 Dragons now join that legacy, reviving a proud tradition of rugby excellence at Saints more than a decade later.

Off the field, the Dragons are powered by the Red Army a passionate and dedicated parent community and anchored by a visionary school leadership team that ensures the holistic development of every student and athlete.

St George’s College’s top ranking in 2025 was no coincidence. It was the result of a carefully built system, a winning culture, and a commitment to excellence that extends from grassroots to the global stage. The Dragons are not only writing their own history they are shaping the future of Zimbabwean school boy rugby.