WORTH THE WAIT FOR McNAB

England-based Matthew McNab has helped take Zimbabwe to the promised land of the 2027 World Cup – but he doesn't want the dream to end there

- Words FRANCISCO ISAAC

IT WAS third time lucky for Matt McNab's World Cup dream after he helped Zimbabwe seal a return to rugby's biggest stage 34 years after their last Finals appearance. McNab was part of the previous two Rugby World Cup qualifying efforts that fell short. But he helped the Sables earn a place at Australia 2027 by beating rivals Namibia 30-28 in the final of the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup in July. Tiaan Swanepoel's late penalty could have swung the game in favour of the Welwitschias but when he missed the target, Pieter Benade's men could finally call themselves a World Cup team again having last featured in 1991.

"It was a dream come true," McNab, 27, tells Rugby World. "Every player dreams of the chance of playing at a World Cup, so I was pretty stoked and shocked when the game ended. "It took a couple of weeks for me to realise what we had done. I think my heart never pumped so fast as it did when the match official blew up for the final time."

While making the World Cup has been Zimbabwe's Everest for decades, McNab believes it can be the start of a rugby revolution in a country that is dwarfed by its South African neighbours.

"I feel that what we've done is the beginning of a new era for us and our country. This result shows that our grassroots programme has legs to stand on. It just needs more support to keep growing and developing new talents.

"At the same time, I hope our club scene prospers and evolves to become a platform for senior players to have a shot at being successful as a rugby player."

McNab has plied his trade of late with Cornish Pirates and has caught the eye in the English second tier over the last three seasons. Time and again the boy from Bulawayo has sliced open the opposition defence to score.