Zambia Rugby (https://www.ZRU.rugby/) has decided to use the COVID-19 ‘downtime’ to improve its administrative capacity by adopting and implementing scrumIT as Rugby Management System (RMS).
According to Gen Clement Sinkamba, President of Zambia Rugby, the decision to use scrumIT was driven by the need to streamline the administration of the Union and to empower the Clubs in Zambia to become more efficient and effective in its administration.
“When the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 rudely interrupted all sports in the world and in Zambia, my Board and I decided to look at avenues to use the ‘downtime’ to improve rugby in Zambia. Implementing the scrumIT system was a wise decision and I believe that the Zambia Rugby Union and all our Members will benefit greatly down the line from increased efficiency and enhanced governance compliance,” Sinkamba said.
ScrumIT is an online player registration and rugby administration software developed in South Africa by ENS Software as a service application. The software is internet-based, and users can access it from any internet browser.
Other users of scrumIT include South African based Union W.P. Rugby. The Rugby Unions of Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda are also users of the system. Rugby Unions of Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho have also initiated the implementation of the scrumIT RMS.
The owner and developer of scrumIT, Mr Jaco Brooks of ENS Software, said that he hoped that Zambia Rugby would benefit significantly from the use of the system.
“I started scrumIT as a hobby because of my love for the Game of Rugby. After many years of development I truly believe that we have managed to create an exceptional operational and strategic management tool for rugby administrators that will save them an enormous lot of time and make them more effective at what they are doing,” Brooks said.
Brooks also announced that scrumIT has decided to offer the RMS for use free-of-charge to all rugby unions in Africa.
“I am a rugby lover and this step is part of my contribution towards helping a game that is experiencing massive challenges to keep on growing,” Brooks said.
The scrumIT system has an impressive range of features that include: Union and Club/School Management, Player registrations, Talent identification and squad management, Document and video management services, Fixture management, Online real-time scoring with integrated competition logs, Social media integration, Individual player statistics, Next of kin contact information, medical aid information, Player transfers (Inter-club, inter-regional and international), Referee management and allocations, Coaching Management, Inter-club and federation communication (bulk email), Player injury recording, Disciplinary process and player sanction management, Comprehensive reporting services, “Get Into Rugby” management.
In 2015 ENS Software in conjunction with Ghana Rugby also developed a module to manage the “Get Into Rugby” participation and events of the core youth development programme of World Rugby.
Zambia Rugby is a full member of both Rugby Africa and World Rugby and competes in most of the Rugby Africa tournaments.
