Secrets of Chipu's Barthes Trophy success

Songs rented the air as Kenya Under-20 popularly known as Chipu thanked God for their historic 21-18 win over heavyweights Namibia in Sunday's Under-20 Barthes Trophy final that put the East Africans in the 2019 World Rugby Trophy.

The win was met with hugs and congratulatory messages from Kenyan fans, officials and the players themselves, complete contrast to Namibia players, who looked shell-shocked, needing to be calmed down by their coach Johan Diergaardt, perhaps left with questions as to what would-have-been if the referee had allowed them to take a line-out after Kenya cleared danger near their try-line seconds from time.

But, as they say, referee’s decision is final. The moment the referee blew the final whistle, Kenyan players threw their hands in celebration, hugging before forming a circle to give praise to God, belting out Sarah K’s famous gospel song Nasema Asante and “Rio here we come” as Namibia players remained still on the pitch, with their faces painted with anger before their technical bench intervened to console them.

As for Kenya, it became near impossible for any interviews to take place, with everybody congratulating the team and wanting a selfie with the new African kings at the KCB Sports Club in Nairobi.

After all, Kenya was returning to the world stage after 10 years of waiting. Chipu did a short lap of honour. Their celebrations did not end at the KCB Sports Club in Ruaraka as in the words of their Team Manager Jimmy Mnene, continued to thank God and held a dinner 23 kilometres away at their camp at the Brookhouse School located in Lang’ata near the Nairobi National Park.

But as Kenya celebrates that famous win, especially that came after failed attempts in the hands of Namibia in the 2014, 2017 and 2018 finals, Chipu shared to Nation Sport the secrets of their success.

“It all began with good selection,” Odera pointed out. Kenya held its Under-20 trials in January at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, where Odera and National team selectors expected 70 players to show up, but got 180.

The selected players trained three times a week - every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday since January. “International Preparatory schools build good players, and with talent from other schools and clubs, we build a good and balanced team,” Odera noted.

Another thing that kept Chipu focused on the final prize, Odera said, is the boys never had any issues in training.

“They came to training eager to learn and improve. There were never any issues surrounding our preparations,” he said, perhaps alluding to the strikes that have always bedevilled the Kenya Sevens team, which is currently staring relegation after the boycott by senior players to train or represent the country until their welfare, especially issues with salaries, is addressed by the Kenya Rugby Union.

Boosted by the 73-0 demolition job on Tunisia in their semi-final match on April 4, Kenyans took a good rest and had a team-building exercise as well as embarked a serious video analysis of that match together with the semi-final between Namibia and Senegal.

Odera at that time said they would get one or two points from Namibia’s 45-12 win over Senegal, who troubled the Southern African side, despite the final scores showing otherwise.

He also disclosed that the Kenyan side reviewed last year’s final which Nambia won 37-18.

“The 16th-man” also inspired the hosts to victory. “It’s very difficult to defeat us when we are playing in front of our own fans. We can’t disappoint them. We thank them for coming out in large numbers to support us,” said Odera, who is poised to become the head coach of Kenya senior 15s team, Simba.

The tactician noted that his boys were also brilliant on the day, with Captain Bonface Ochieng’ saying, “Our character showed. We deserved the win.” Before this tournament, the media in Namibia quoted Diergaardt saying “he hoped the ‘fourth year jinx’ would not affect them.

The Namibian said “Diergaardt, who also coaches Unam (University of Namibia), was referring to Unam’s failure to win the premier league title for four years in a row after they won it in 2015, 2016 and 2017.”

After the hard-earned win, Sports PS, Kirimi Kaberia assured that Chipu will be give the necessary support ‘100 percent’ for the Brazil tour in July this year.

Chipu Team Manager Jimmy Mnene said on Monday that they will break for two weeks before the “hard work to Rio begins.”

The 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Trophy is slated for July 9-21 in Sao Jose dos Campos in Brazil.

Kenya joins hosts Brazil along with Hong Kong (Asia), Uruguay (South America), Portugal (Europe) and Tonga (Oceania), who qualified from the respective regions and Japan, who got relegated from 2018 World Rugby Under 20 Championship, the top-tier junior rugby tournament, after finishing in last position in France.

North America is yet to choose its representative. Kenya, Namibia and Senegal, who defeated Tunisia 28-16 to take bronze medal, will remain in the Barthes Trophy ‘Pool A’ in 2020.

Tunisia dropped to Pool ‘B’ after losing to Senegal. Africa’s second tier tournament will be held between April 17 and April 20 in Harare, bringing together Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Madagascar.

The winner of this tournament will take Tunisia’s place in Pool ‘A’ in 2020.