Kenya Simbas withstand late Uganda pressure to retain Elgon Cup
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 09.11.24. | 18:27
With this hard-fought victory, the Simbas remain confident as they head to Uganda for the second leg of the Victoria Cup on Saturday 16 November
The national men's rugby 15s team; Kenya Simbas emerged winners of the 2024 Elgon Cup after narrowly edging Uganda Cranes 27-25 in a closely contested match played on Saturday 9 November at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi.
The win saw the Simbas successfully defend the title they last won on Saturday 11 November 2023 at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu after defeating Uganda 20-13.
The first half was spirited, with plenty of drama and missed opportunities. Kenya came out strong, pushing through Uganda’s initial cagey defense with a series of swift passes that culminated in Griffin Chao's try.
The high-flying debutant did not hesitate to give Kenya an early lead against their opponents. The conversion attempt went wide, leaving Kenya with a 5-0 lead.
Uganda had their chance to respond almost immediately, benefiting from a Kenyan infringement.
The attempted penalty saw the ball rebound off the post. Kenya then conceded yet another penalty shortly after, but Uganda missed again, sparking cheers from the Kenyan fans who were relieved to see the score remain in their favour.
Kenya’s offense, rejuvenated by these misses, soon fought its way into Uganda’s red zone. They nearly scored again, but a misdirected pass saw Chao fumble the opportunity, resulting in a scrum.
Uganda gained possession and began to show signs of wearing down Kenya’s defense, keeping play largely in Kenya's territory and forcing infringements. But luck was on Kenya's side as Uganda's penalty attempts failed to find the mark.
Kenya then got a big break. Following a lineout and a powerful maul, Misoga powered his way through to score Kenya’s second try, with Timothy Omela nailing the conversion to extend Kenya’s lead to 12-0.
But Uganda was not ready to fade. In the 33rd minute, they finally broke through, with Pius Ogena touching down for their first try.
As the half progressed, Uganda increased the pressure, pinning Kenya deep in their territory.
A sustained offensive push and another Kenyan error in their own 22 saw Uganda capitalize. A quick series of passes found Innocent Gwokto, who blasted through Kenya's defensive line to secure a second try for Uganda, this time with a successful conversion to edge them ahead.
At the halftime whistle, Uganda held a narrow 14-12 lead.
The second half started with Uganda extending their lead through a well-taken penalty goal.
However, Kenya quickly responded with a powerful try from a moving maul, with Brian Wahinya emerging as the hero. Timothy Omela nailed the conversion, pushing Kenya ahead 19-17.
This momentum seemed to light a spark in the Simbas, as Wahinya once again took charge with another thrilling try from the scrum, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Although the conversion was missed, Kenya still increased their lead to 24-17.
As Uganda struggled to keep up, they made some crucial substitutions, but Kenya countered by bringing in fresh legs as well, including star players Jone Kubu and Samson Onsomu.
Uganda managed to narrow the gap with a try from Robin Philip Odrua, though the missed conversion kept Kenya's lead intact. An infringement from Uganda allowed Kubu to drill in a penalty, extending Kenya's score to 27-22.
Uganda cranked up the pressure with a penalty kick to close in at 27-25, setting up a tense final few minutes.
With this hard-fought victory, the Simbas remain confident as they head to Uganda for the second leg of the Victoria Cup on Saturday 16 November.
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