‘You can always rely on B-Mak to lift spirits’: Seasoned Sable not ‘shy’ to cheer-lead

BY ENOCK MUCHINJO

HARARE – Jolly Brian Makamure literally sang Zimbabwe’s way to the Rugby World Cup.

The veteran prop didn’t feature in any of Zimbabwe’s decisive three games of Africa’s qualification competition in Uganda last July.

But while Makamure didn’t push in the scrum the entire tournament, he definitely played any enormous role in the Sables’ push to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Now in the later stages of his playing career, Makamure has created an informal role for himself within the Zimbabwean team, developing it over time.

He psyches up his teammates with animated singing, chanting and dancing – much to the amusement of everyone in the Sables set-up.

“B-Mak is a pivotal part of our group,” Sables assistant coach Ricky Chirengende told SportsCast before the Africa Cup final against Namibia in July.

“On long tours like this, after a hard training session or after a long flight and when spirits are down, you can always rely on B-Mak to lift the spirits. He is just a big energy around our group.”

At the ripe age of 35 and multiple international caps under his belt, Makamure fits in easily as one the Sables’ natural leaders. His unique style of leadership – cheering on the side – is treasured by coaching staff and teammates alike.

“He just randomly breaks into song!” chuckled Chirengende.

“And as Zimbabweans, we have a culture of singing and celebrating. So naturally he just ignites that in us and we all start singing. He lifts our spirits, gets us up, and ja, he is pivotal. He is good energy, and I’m a believer in energy winning you games. B-Mak plays that part. Whether he is playing or not, his contribution is the same. So ja, he is definitely a big, big leader on that aspect of our game.”

Makamure himself is the first to embrace that role of entertainer, and he delivers with tremendous wit and verve.

 “One of my strengths, I think for me, is that I’m very comfortable with my energy,” Makamure commented.

“I’m very comfortable with who I am. So I’m not shy to express the abundance of energy that I’ve got, and the vibrance that I’ve been blessed with.”

In 2024 Makamure was also part of the Zimbabwe squad that won the first of back-to-back Africa Cup titles in Ugandan capital Kampala, getting onto the field once in the last 20 minutes of the final against Algeria.

He might not get much game-time, but Makamure isn’t one to feel out of place and left out.

“I think it’s just a matter of understanding what it means to be a Sable,” Makamure said.

“To be of service to your nation, to be of service to your national team, is the highest accolade you can ever achieve as a rugby player. You’ve been given an opportunity to serve through the sport that you love, for the country that you belong to, the country that we also love. So, I mean, everything that we've been blessed with, talent-wise, from God, this is our opportunity to express it.”

Makamure’s loyal support for his colleagues isn’t something totally new, if you ask those that know him well from Prince Edward School in Harare and St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown.

While he was a very active sportsman in his schooldays, captaining St Andrew's first XV rugby team in his final year, Makamure was also a prominent cheerleader for the teams of the other sporting disciplines that he didn’t take part in.

“It’s an opportunity to still be able to live those days of enjoying that atmosphere with brothers,” he commented.

“People look and think back to high school days when they went to support sports, cheering on their rugby teams, basketball teams, soccer teams. You know, whatever sport you think of, hockey.

"Essentially, I’m a 35-year-old still able to do that and doing it for my country, doing it for our people who also want to be here (in Uganda) to represent the squad, the cheering squad. That’s what it means to me and that’s what we always think about when we are out. We are not doing it for ourselves. We are serving the country, and we are glad to be of service until our time is up.”

The bursts of hearty laughter from all members of the Zimbabwe squad, the clapping and the attentiveness when Makamure is in his element, is a show of collective gratitude for that selfless service to team and country.

Brian Makamure puts Ugandan budding rugby players through their paces at a coaching clinic in Kampala during the Rugby Africa Cup tournament in July. PIC: ZRU Media

*This feature is part of a series of interviews done during Africa’s World Cup qualification tournament in Uganda in July.