Kenya Simbas head coach explains struggling in first two quarters against UAE
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 26.05.25. | 16:01
The opening quarter ended with Kenya trailing 14-0. Matters worsened in the second, with the Simbas going down 24-14
Kenya Simbas head coach Jerome Paarwater has explained the team’s sluggish start in their friendly match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday, 24 May at the RFUEA Grounds.
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Despite eventually outclassing their Gulf opponents 54-24, the Simbas found themselves on the back foot for the better part of the first hour.
The match was structured into three 30-minute quarters, and Kenya only found their rhythm in the final stanza, where they scored a massive 40 points.
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The opening quarter ended with Kenya trailing 14-0. Matters worsened in the second, with the Simbas going down 24-14.
However, a spirited comeback in the final quarter saw a more fluid and clinical side take control of the game.
Interestingly, the team also switched jerseys heading into the final quarter, donning green kits after playing the first two segments in red.
The new look coincided with the introduction of top guns including Ibrahim Ayoo, Timothy Omela, Griffin Chao, Beldad Ogeta, Elkeans Musonye, Erick Cantona, Samuel Asati, Samuel Ovwamu, Andycolle Omollo, and Bryceson Adaka. These players were in better form and chemistry.
In an exclusive interview with Mozzart Sport, Paarwater noted that the inconsistency in the opening quarters was expected, as the match was designed to assess and trim the provisional squad.
“The first quarter had a lot of guys who had not been involved with the Simbas. Most of them were in the Kenya 7s set-up. The second quarter had more experienced guys, and the final one was simply the starting 15 that we know,” Paarwater offered.
The coach emphasised that the match served as a crucial selection test, with 46 players in camp and only 33 slots available for the upcoming fixtures.
“We wanted to give everyone a fair chance, and I know even the fans who were there can also vet their selection,” he added.
His sentiments were echoed by Kenya Simbas captain George Nyambua, who attributed their initial struggles to a lack of familiarity and cohesion.
“The game was great. We had three teams and all of them played 30 minutes each, so everyone was given a fair chance,” Nyambua explained.
“I can say that we have not been training together. For the last team that played in green, that was the team that had stuck together for a while.
The first two teams were just players coming in, so I would say they were a bit slow on structure,” he continued.
The Simbas are set to depart the country on Wednesday, 28 May, for an intensive one-month camp in South Africa.
There, the team will sharpen their claws in readiness for the Rugby Africa Cup-cum World Cup qualifiers slated for Monday, 7 to Monday, 21 July 2025 in Kampala, Uganda.
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