Zimbabwe.… (12) 22 Kenya ………… (17) 41
ZIMBABWE’S faint hopes of winning their first continental title in five years suffered a hammer blow after going down 41-22 to Kenya in a tense Rugby Africa Gold Cup encounter at Hartsfield Rugby Ground in Bulawayo yesterday.
BY KEVIN MAPASURE in bulawayo
Despite the Sables dominating possession and territory for longer periods of the match, Kenya still came out on top as they outscored the hosts by five tries to three to keep their hopes of winning the Rugby Africa Gold Cup alive.
The Kenyans were also aided by some mercurial kicking by their winger Darwin Mukidza, who chipped in with 16 points from five conversions and two penalties.
Trailing a 17-12 at the break, the Sables needed a surging second-half performance to overcome the Kenyans.
Kenya opened the scoring through a penalty from flyhalf Isaac Adimo but the Sables hit back almost immediately courtesy of a brilliant try from scrumhalf Hilton Mudariki which was easily converted by flyhalf Tichafara Makwanya from under the posts.
Kenya hit back through a try by scrumhalf Samson Onsomu before prolific winger Takudzwa Kumadiro’s converted try — his sixth of the tournament — restored the lead for the hosts.
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Kenya, however, finished the scrappy opening half stronger with flank David Chenge diving over the whitewash to finish off a 40-metre rolling maul before Mudzidza converted to give the East Africans the lead at halftime.
The visitors seemed to carry on from where they left off after the break, with prop Moses Amusala barging over the whitewash for another converted try soon after the restart.
Zimbabwe took control of the match thereafter reducing the deficit to just two points after a penalty by Makwanya and Connor Pritchard’s converted try to finish off a strong run from substitute Biselele Tshamala.
Presented with a very good chance to seize control of the match, Zimbabwe let their guard down, missing regular tackles and the Kenyans ran riot, scoring two converted tries and a penalty to seal their second successive win in the competition.
It was the Sables’ second defeat in the competition after the opening win against Senegal and they will be desperate to bounce back to winning ways in their final two matches against Tunisia and Uganda to avoid being relegated from the top tier group.
