Kenya remain perfect in Rugby Sevens World Cup qualifiers
Fans follow proceedings during the Africa Rugby Sevens seeding matches at Kyadondo Rugby Club in Kampala, Uganda on April 23, 2022.
What you need to know:
- In the game of two halves, Alvin “Buffa” Otieno began Kenya’s revival in the second half before Bush Mwale’s converted try brought scores to 19-19.
- Daniel Taabu scored Kenya’s last try at the death to deny the Zimbabweans victory.
Kenya’s Shujaa and Uganda were perfect on day one of the Rugby Africa Sevens at Kyadondo Stadium in Kampala, Uganda on Saturday.
Kenya, who are the defending champions, made mincemeat of Senegal in their group qualifying match, crushing them 19-0.
They then proceeded to show why they are the only World Rugby Sevens Series core team in Kampala, calmly coming from behind to edge out Zimbabwe 24-19 in their first Pool “A” match.
Kenya then ended a good day in the office with a resounding 33-7 thumping of their African nemesis Namibia 33 -7. Namibians have regularly beaten Kenya in the longer version of the game and any win against them in whatever format will be sweet for Kenyans.
Kenya’s last match in their pool is against Madagascar at 10.06am on Sunday.
Group winners along with second placed finishers will advance to the semi-finals.
The best placed team from the Commonwealth at the end of the tournament will earn a ticket to the ‘Club’ Games in Birmingham from June 28 to August 8.
\The first three finishers will also book places in this year’s Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town. Kenya and South Africa have already secured their berths to the showpiece sevens event of the world.
A brace of tries from Bush Mwale and one from Herman Humwa, the extra points coming from Anthony Omondi, were enough to hand Kenya a routine win against the little-known Senegalese side.
Kenya came from 19-7 down at half time to thrash Zimbabwe 24-19.
Billy Odhiambo’s opening try for Kenya was immediately cancelled by the Zimbabweans who went on to add two more tries after Anthony Omondi was sent to the sin-bin.
It was time for the “Buffalo” and he duly delivered. Alvin “Buffa” Otieno, in typical rampaging fashion, fended off several tackles to cross the whitewash near the sticks.
Then Mwale’s converted try tied the scores at 19-19.
A feinted pass from Daniel Taabu inside their opponents half resulted in Kenya’s winning try at the death from the Mwamba RFC man. Five unanswered tries that included a brace from captain Nelson Oyoo handed Kenya the emphatic win against Namibia.
Kenya led 7-0 at the break before opening up in the second stanza.
Madagascar humiliated Namibia 41-0 to end their continental dreams.. Uganda, who lost 29-0 to Kenya in the 2019 final, demolished Burundi 73-0 to qualify for Group “B”.
The Ugandans, coached by former Kenya international Tolbert Onyango, ran over Tunisia 29-0 and Zambia 40-7 in their group matches yesterday to underline their intent in this tournament.
