AS a player, Kisset Chirengende represented Zimbabwe at junior level, featuring in a star-studded Under-21 rugby side that included legendary players such as former Springbok prop Brian Mujati, the trio of Cleopas Makotose, Gardner Nechironga and Jacques Leitao (who all went on to play for both the Sables and the Cheetahs).

Through his sports management company Kyros Sports which offers services in sports marketing, elite training, media consultancy, player placement and sports development, Chirengende has also established himself as a fine sports administrator.

He successfully organised pre-season tours to Zimbabwe by South Africa’s biggest rugby union franchises the Bulls, Cheetahs, Stormers and the Lions a few years ago.

The hugely popular tours gave local rugby fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch some of their heroes on home soil and one Siya Kolisi, who played for the Stormers at the National Sports Stadium, went on to lead the Springboks to World Cup glory in Japan two years ago.

After establishing himself as a player and acquiring administrative skills, Chirengende is now also making tremendous strides as a coach following his success on the growing US collegiate circuit.

The former Watershed College students was recently unveiled as the first head coach for the Caldwell University men's rugby club programme effective May 12, 2021.

Chirengende has been entrusted to lay the foundation for a successful rugby programme at the New Jersey-based Catholic university, which only introduced rugby on its curricular activities two months ago.

The very promising Zimbabwean coach said he was relishing the opportunity to contribute towards the success of Caldwell University’s rugby programme.

“I am excited to be the first men's rugby coach of this esteemed school,” said Chirengende.

“The president, Dr Matthew Whelan, and director of athletics, Mr Mark Corino, have shown a real willingness to grow the game of rugby at Caldwell, while equipping young men with a quality education. This was enough to convince me that I wanted to be part of this journey and I look forward to doing my bit to raise the Caldwell banner high."

Chirengende’s move to Caldwell University comes on the back of a successful spell during his time at William Paterson University where he served first as the assistant coach for the men's rugby team from 2016-2018 and head coach from 2018-2021.

The former Zimbabwe youth international, who is a close friend and former schoolboy opponent of the legendary Springboks World Cup winner Tendai Mtawarira, guided his team to three straight 7s Tri-State Championship's and finished with the highest national ranking among the three years at sixth in 2019.

Chirengende also led the William Paterson 15s team to two Tri-State Championships in 2018 and 2019.

His 2018 team qualified for the national tournament and finished fifth in the national rankings.

Caldwell University assistant vice-president/ director of athletics Corino expressed his excitement at Chirengende’s appointment as the first head coach for their men's rugby club programme.

"I am extremely excited to have Kisset join our institution as the first men's rugby coach," said Corino.

"I am confident that he will be able to build a competitive programme and grow the game of rugby at our institution. Kisset brings vast knowledge and experience to this new program and I believe that he will work hard to live up to the university's mission. I look forward to working with Kisset and am excited for him to build our rugby program."

Prior to his time at William Paterson, Chirengende was the founder and coach for the Zambezi Steelers, an invitational rugby team.

He led the programme to a Tropical U18 7s Elite Division Championship in Orlando in 2018 and participated in the 2019 U19 World Schools Festival in Cape Town, South Africa.

Chirengende graduated from Leeds Beckett University in Leeds, United Kingdom, in 2012 with a degree in Sport Business Management.

While at Leeds Beckett, Chirengende was a member of the institution's rugby team.