Simbas Fall to Zimbabwe in Thriller, Set for 3rd Place PlayoffÂ
Simbas’ hopes of lifting the Rugby Africa Cup and qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, were dashed after a narrow 23-29 loss to Zimbabwe’s Sables in a tightly contested semi-final clash. The defeat means Kenya will now battle Algeria for the bronze medal in the third-place playoff scheduled for 19th July.
The match kicked off with intensity and high stakes, and it was Zimbabwe who struck first, with an early try to set the tone for what would become a see-saw battle. Kenya responded through Sifuna, who crashed over the whitewash from a dominant rolling maul,the conversion drifted wide, leaving the scores at 5-5.
The Sables capitalized on Kenyan indiscipline shortly after, slotting home a penalty to regain the lead at 8-5. Matters worsened for the Simbas when Griffin Chao was sent to the sin bin, reducing the side to 14 men for ten crucial minutes. However, Simbas held firm, and a penalty earned from a Zimbabwe infringement saw Jone Kubu level the scores at 8-all.
As the first half drew to a close, Chao, fresh from the bin, made a comeback, picking up the ball and slicing through the Zimbabwean defense for a solo try, the conversion was good, and the Simbas lead into the halftime break with an 18-13 advantage.
In the second half, Zimbabwe controlled territory and possession as they pressed Simbas into defensive mode, extending their lead and tightening their grip on the match. With the final whistle looming, Teddy Akala powered his way over the line in the dying seconds, igniting brief hope of a dramatic turnaround. However, it was too little, too late. The final hooter had already sounded, sealing a 29-23 victory for Zimbabwe and booking them a spot in the final.
Simbas will now face Algeria in the third-place playoff, set to take place on the 19th July at 2:00 PM, EAT.
