Zim rugby team sleeps on Tunisian streets ahead of World Cup qualifier

The Zimbabwe National rugby team has reportedly been forced to sleep on the streets of Tunisia after complaining about the poor standard of hotel accommodation and a lack of funds from the Zimbabwe Rugby Union. 

The team‚ currently in the North African country for a World Cup qualifier slept on the streets outside their hotel in Tunisia on Monday night because of poor facilities and lack of funds after they had been held at immigration for six hours..

In a statement sent out by Rugby Africa, they have issued an apology to Zimbabwe Rugby and an alternative accommodation had been arranged for the team.

We would like to reassure the Zimbabwean Ministry of Sports, Zimbabwe Rugby Union, and all partners and fans that the situation was addressed immediately, and an acceptable solution has been found this morning. Tunisia Rugby Union took the Sables management to visit another hotel which was accepted, the statement read.

Rugby Africa and Tunisia Rugby Union would like to express their sincere apologies to the Sables team and management for this unfortunate situation. This does not reflect the standards of the Rugby Africa Gold Cup competition and we sincerely regret any prejudice caused.

The players were held up at the airport after the authorities said that they had to pay a visa fee of 20 euros ($23, £18) each, team captain Denford Mutamangira told Zimbabwean radio station Capitalk FM.

Tunisia are set to play the Sables in the latest round of Africa Rugby's Gold Cup competition, the winner of which will automatically qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Zimbabwe are currently in fourth place and Tunisia are in last place in the six-team competition.