World Rugby U20 Trophy: Chipu battle Uruguay in opening fixture

The Kenya U20 national team; Chipu will play Uruguay in their first match of the 2024 World Rugby U20 Trophy on Tuesday 2 July at the Edinburgh Rugby Stadium in Scotland.

The match kicks off at 4:30 pm (EAT).

Chipu are gracing the tournament as African champions, having defeated Zimbabwe 28-13 to win the Rugby Africa Barthes U20 Cup back in April.

They will be keen to unleash their African spirit against their opponents.

This is not the first meeting between the two sides, as they met during the 2019 World Rugby U20 Trophy, where Kenya received baptism by fire from Los Teritos by a final score of 63-11. They will be aiming to bounce back.

Uruguay on the other side enters the tournament as favorites, having reached the final of the 2023 showpiece held in Kenya.

They however suffered a dramatic 39-32 loss to Spain to end the tournament in second place.

The side also boasts a strong presence in the global showpiece, having participated for the past seven consecutive years. This experience should not be underestimated by Chipu.

What makes this year’s edition even more competitive is that the winner of the U20 Trophy will secure a coveted spot in the pinnacle of U20 rugby – the 2025 World Rugby Junior Championship.

Head Coach Simon Jawichre has meticulously prepared his squad, focusing on in-depth analysis of the Uruguayan team. Their strategy revolves around countering Uruguay's high attacking tempo and robust defense.

Jawichre announces Chipu squad for Uruguay encounter

The 23-man squad selection reflects this focus, ensuring Chipu is well-equipped to handle Los Teritos' style of play.

This opening game holds immense significance for both teams.

For Chipu, it's a chance to set the tone for the tournament, and potentially claim a vital victory.

Uruguay, on the other hand, will be looking to leverage their experience and secure an early lead in the pool.

This is likely to be a closely fought match, with the team that executes their game plan more effectively emerging victorious.

The youngsters, who will be keen to improve on their sixth-place finish from last year’s edition, have been camping at the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) and had joint training sessions with their elder brothers; Simbas.

In their second match, Chipu will face the Netherlands on Sunday, July 7, at 9:45 p.m. E.A.T, before playing USA on Friday.

In Pool A, hosts Scotland will compete against Japan, Hong Kong, and Samoa.

Teams will play in a round-robin format during the group stage to determine the final pool rankings. The final rankings will determine the matchups: the pool toppers will compete in the final, runners-up will face off in the bronze final, third-placed teams will battle for fifth place, and the bottom-placed teams will compete for seventh place.