RWCQ2023: Colourless Simbas handed heavy thrashing by USA in opening match

Kenya Simbas’ hopes of making it to a first ever Rugby World Cup tournament were dealt a heavy blow on Sunday afternoon as the men’s national rugby 15s side succumbed to a 68-14 defeat at the hands of USA in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final Qualification Tournament (The Repechage) currently ongoing in Dubai.

In the encounter played at the Sevens Stadium, the Paul Odera coached side failed to get going and were punished for their litany of errors that saw them stumble in their opening match of the scheduled three games knowing very well that only the top side in the four team tournament grabs the remaining single ticket to Rugby World Cup 2023 to be held in France, a task made even more harder following the loss.

Hat trick hero and man of the match recipient Dylan Faswitt proved to be a handful on the day alongside Christian Dyer who also touched down three times as their efforts alongside other successful touchdowns by Jamason Schultz, Nate Augspurger, Mike Fegai and Mitch Wilson got the job done as Kenya were consoled by second half tries from Brian Juma and 19 year old debutant Joshua Weru.

The encounter had gotten off to a cagey start with the Simbas just managing to hold the threat from USA in the opening minutes.

The team thought they could use a numerical advantage handed to them when Siaosi Mahoni was yellow carded for a direct challenge on the head of Kenyan skipper Daniel Sikuta but tables overturned as Faswitt ran in his first try that made amends for an earlier USA try chalked off as Jamason Schultz had carried the ball forward in touching down.

The 20th minute opening try came from clever move from the lineout as the USA deceived Kenya into thinking they would start a rolling maul only to switch it back to the hooker who attacked the gaping space to give USA a 5-0 lead following a missed conversion.

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Shortly after, while Kenya were still down to 14 men after Geoffrey Okwach’s rush challenge that drew a yellow card, Darwin Mukidza attempted to reduce the deficit with a long range penalty attempt but his kick from near the half way line veered just wide off the mark.

The USA continued playing in the right areas as Kenya shot themselves in the foot time and again with a handful of handling errors and poor lineouts that handed possession back to the opponents almost immediately.

They made their territiorial dominance count as Faswitt and Jamason Schults added converted tries to hand USA a 19-0 at the break.

Kenya’s costly errors continued in the second half continued and USA made them duly pay for it as they widened the gap on the scoreboard.

Kenya’s consolation only came in the 55th minute through a rare attacking display that saw the team match up directly to the opponents and benefitting from the results as Juma touched down with Mukidza converting to give the team their first points.

With the game almost drawing to a close, Weru capped off his debut in perfect style as he raced clear before touching down at the corner for his maiden try in the senior set up.

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Despite Mukidza converting the damage had already been done with the game ending 68-14.

Kenya will now face Portugal and Hong Kong in the last two games.