Tinashe Muchena Becomes The 1st Zimbabwean To Join USA Professional Rugby League Team. Picked Among Top Players In 2021 MJR Draft

Tinashe Muchena (Right) Image by Houston SaberCats

Tinashe Muchena, 24, the former Headboy of St Georges College, Harare (2016) was recently selected to play professional Rugby for the Houston SaberCats, a team based in Houston, Texas that competes in Major League Rugby, North America's premier professional rugby league. Tinashe Muchena was drafted in the second round, as the number 15 pick, in the 2021 Major League Rugby Draft held on the 19th of August.

In the second round of the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft, the SaberCats select Tinashe Muchena from Lindenwood University. Let’s GO! 👏🐯🤘#MLR2022 #HoustonSaberCats #MLRDraft pic.twitter.com/6Cbe4hIrtB

— Houston SaberCats (@Hou_Sabercats) August 19, 2021

Tinashe Muchena along with Emmanuel Albert were selected from the St. Charles, Missouri based Lindenwood University, where Muchena studied information technology, web-design and graphics on a Rugby Scholarship. "It's an honor to be drafted but even sweeter to land in the same place as my brother Emmanuel. It reminds me of when I was first starting to make an impact at Lindenwood, and Coach Macy asked me "Isn't it amazing when a plan comes together?" says Tinashe Muchena, about his experience on draft night.

No matter the sport, draft videos remain undefeated. Here’s Tinashe Muchena of @LURugby getting drafted tonight by the @Hou_Sabercats. Congrats!! pic.twitter.com/xnDyJMWTXx

— Barstool Rugby (@barstool_rugby) August 20, 2021

Tinashe is the son of 51 year old Willard Muchena, a Rugby veteran who played for Zimbabwean top club, Old Hararians (OH) between 1990 and 2004. "Some people have to search far and wide for inspiration, a role model if you may. I’m one of those people who are blessed to have their role model sleep under the same roof with them. Shout out Dad" says Tinashe

Major League Rugby is a professional sports league in its fourth season in 2021 and represents the highest level of rugby competition in North America. The League was founded in 2018 with seven inaugural teams and grew to the current 12 teams, featuring 11 from the United States and one from Canada.