Kabras Sugar hit Kenya Simbas in build-up tie
Kenya Simba's Brian Tanga(Centre) tries to evade a tackle from Kabras Sugar's Walter Okoth (left) and Dukisa Ntabeni (second left) during their friendly match at the RFUEA ground on July 20, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The Simbas coach, Paul Odera, used the match to try out different combinations ahead of their Africa Rugby Cup Group "B" matches against Senegal and Zambia due July 3 to 11 at the Nyayo National Stadium.
- Africa Cup champions Namibia, Côte d'ivoire and Madagascar are in Pool "A" while Pool "C" has Uganda, Algeria and Ghana with Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso making Pool "D".
Enterprise Cup champions Kabras Sugar Rugby dismantled Kenya Simbas 23-15 in a friendly match played at the RFUEA grounds on Sunday.
The Simbas scored three unconverted tries, but right wing Derrick Ashiundu landed a brace of tries as Kabras hit back with three tries, a conversion and two penalties
The Simbas broke the stalemate in the 22nd minute when Brian Juma landed as Jones Kubu missed the conversion.
Kabras would pile on pressure to earn a penalty that fly half Dukisa Ntabeni curled over to reduce the deficit at 5-3 three minutes later.
Then Kabras claimed the lead five minutes to the drinks when Ashiundu went for his first of his two tries, but Ntabeni missed the extras. Kabras led 8-5 at the break in a match where Simbas coach Paul Odera broke in a new side in the second half.
John Okoth and Patrick Oyugi would dismantle Kabra defence to land two tries in the 58th and 68th minutes respectively, but Anthony Ajoo missed both conversions as the Simbas led 15-8.
The rains then started to beat Simbas with Ntabeni’s penalty bringing the score at 15-11 in the 74th minute.
Ashiundu then sealed his double in the 79th minute as Simbas defence cracked further to allow Valerian Tendwa to land in the dying minute. Ntabeni converted one of the tries to spur Kabras to victory.
Simbas played with a 35-man squad with the coach playing each half with a new set of players. Kabras Played with a squad of 23 players. The game was to be used by the Simbas as their last preparation match before the qualifiers due to the cancelled camp in South Africa.
The Simbas coach, Paul Odera, used the match to try out different combinations ahead of their Africa Rugby Cup Group "B" matches against Senegal and Zambia due July 3 to 11 at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Africa Cup champions Namibia, Côte d'ivoire and Madagascar are in Pool "A" while Pool "C" has Uganda, Algeria and Ghana with Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso making Pool "D".
The top two teams from each pool will now battle in the 2022 Rugby Africa Cup will act as the third and final round of the African Qualification process for the 2023 Paris World Cup.
The winner of the eight-team tournament that will be played on knockout basis will advance to the World Cup as Africa 1 while the runner-up will proceed to the Final Qualification Tournament also known as the Repechage.
