Suburban
Born on the 10th of May 1997 and raised in Mbare in a family of three siblings, Shingie or Hot Stepper as he is affectionately known in rugby circles is the first born and only boy. Shingie is a devout Christian having been born into a Christian family.
Sporting excellence runs in Shingirai Katsvere’s bloodline. Shingie is the grandson of the iconic and legendary Warriors and Dynamos football star Edward ‘Madhobha’ Katsvere.
Edward Katsvere was part of the Dynamos invincibles that included Moses Chunga, David Mandigora et al and won all and sundry in the domestic premiership.
Shingie went to Ardbennie Primary School were he excelled in football taking after his grandfather. While at Ardbennie his best friend was Munashe Kamunda an avid football player.
“We played together until a time Munashe dropped football and took up rugby. Initially I would wait for him and watch him play before home time.
“Not long after, I joined Munashe in playing rugby and there started my rugby career. Ironically my dad had always bought me rugby apparel and sporting gear and I remember telling him that I will never play rugby because. . .I was going to be a soccer star like my granddad. So I went for rugby training for about a week without him knowing.
“At Ardbennie we didn’t play enough of rugby so together with Munashe we joined our local club Mbare Academy under Coach Victor Pekani and Milton Rankeni. Every training session was lively and we developed into a strong and solid team that beat some of the well established rugby playing schools.
“Coach Victor and Milton played a very crucial role in my rugby formative years as they taught me the core values of the game of rugby, brotherhood, how to be honourable, how to respect and be disciplined in all things I did. At Mbare Academy we would always start the training session with a prayer and end it with a prayer.
“That stuck with me and I believe that prayer is what has made me to be who I am today. I can never thank Coach Victor and Milton enough for being such great influences in my personal life and to many other young men and ladies who have passed through their coaching hands. Thank you.
“I graduated through the Mbare Academy system and secured a place at Churchill (The Bulldogs) High School were I went through the age grade rugby system. I grew in my rugby and I was very ambitious and wanted to scale the rugby heights.
“I made a deliberate and conscious decision to cross the great divide from Churchill (Bulldogs) to Prince Edward (The Tigers). In modern day sport it is like crossing the floor from Real Madrid to Barcelona, from Manchester City to Manchester United, and locally from Highlanders to Dynamos (two diametrically opposite and fierce competitors) I went to PE because they were the team in the spotlight and most of their alumni got opportunities to advance their careers through rugby in foreign lands and even top the world rugby stage such as Tonderai Chavhanga.
“When I got to PE opportunities started to open up for me as we played top opposition week in week out. Initially it was weird being in a Hooped Maroon, Dark Green and white Jersey instead of the purple and white jersey but my coaches Mr DeSouza and teammates made me feel at home and I grew in the Tigers culture. Playing against Churchill was always an emotional game for me as both are great rugby playing schools in their own rights but now that I donned the Tigers Jersey I always had to give of my best and in both instances we prevailed over the Bulldogs.
“My most memorable game was my debut game for the Tigers, the game Tigers Prince Edward vs The Kings Peterhouse College in 2014. This was the game I scored my first try for the Tigers. The game was played on a Wednesday at Half term of the second term 2014 and the Tigers (PE) won the mouth watering clash away to Peterhouse 35-19 and I scored two of the tries.
“What a debut I had for one of the best if not the best school boy rugby playing schools in Zimbabwe.
“In 2015 I made the Zimbabwe Schools Craven Week team and this was to be beginning of my International career. We did well at the Craven week I was also called up for the Zimbabwe Young Sables U20.
“After schools I continued to turn out for Mbare Academy and I then got the chance to move to Pretoria and I took it and played for the Grizzlies rugby club in Pretoria. I was called up for the Young Sables U20 and I played in the Barthes Trophy for the next two years and in my final year I was the Young Sables U20 Captain.
“My most memorable game as an U20 young Sable was the game we lost by two points to Namibia when I was still 18 years old. In that game I scored four tries.
“It was however sad as we lost to Namibia to lose the spot in the Junior World Trophy.
“I continued to work hard on my game and I signed up to play for the model rugby club in the country Old Georgians and in 2018 I got my Sable debut call up against Morocco. I was one of the youngest players on the field and I scored two tries on my debut and my senior International career was kick-started.
“In the same year I was called up for the Zimbabwe National Sevens team the Cheetahs for the Africa Cup tournament held in Monastir, Tunisia (2018) and on my debut with the Cheetahs we won the Africa Cup beating Uganda in a nail biting final where we came from behind to clinch the game in the sudden death of the Final. My debuts for the, Tigers, Sables and Cheetahs are special memories as the teams won the games and I played a major part in teams wins. I look forward to us getting back onto the rugby field and taking this great nation to the World Cups in 2022 (7’s) and 2023 (Sables).
“I believe people have different calling but the goal must always be to praise God with your talent. I believe the Lords Grace has been with me in my rugby journey and it is my hope that I continue to live a Christ like life and inspire the next generation of players and athletes to grow up to be Christlike and have faith in the Word.
“I pray that through the talents I have been endowed with I can be vehicle for positive behavioural change among the youth coupled with the key values I have learnt through rugby such as commitment, respect, discipline, solidarity and integrity. Rugby is indeed a way of life.
“We are currently faced with the Covid-19 that threatens to wipe out nations if left undeterred and I urge all nations, our rugby loving nation to remain steadfast and observe all the Covid-19 protocols as directed by the WHO. We are stronger together — apart at this time. Let’s Practise social distancing,always wear a mask and always wash your hands.
Sables Caps. : Seven (7)
Cheetahs Caps: Four HSBC World Rugby Tourneys, Two Africa Cup tourneys.
National Accolades: Africa Cup Champions 2018
Victoria Cup 2019
National Representative Teams
1. Zimbabwe Craven Week U18
2. Zimbabwe U20 Young Sables
3. Zimbabwe Sables
4. Zimbabwe Cheetahs
Club: Old Georgians – Sourced from Zimbabwe Rugby Union
