Victorious Kenya fancy their cup chances, Echesa to meet 7s stars
What you need to know:
- Mukidza once again converted from a tight angle to stretch their lead to 28-17 before the Moroccans rallied to score and come within four points of Kenya.
- Kenya would then put up a tight defence to triumph for the crucial five points even as right wing Edmund Anya was sin-binned for collapsing the maul.
- While, the "Simbas" battled the "Atlas Lions", Namibia were thrashing Tunisia 118-0 at Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek, a week after they had mauled Uganda 56-6 at the same venue on June 16.
With Kenya's national 15s team riding on the crest of a victorious wave after defeating Morocco last weekend in a 2019 World Cup qualifier, the sevens side is teetering on the brink of collapse following last week's sacking of coach Innocent Simiyu.
The sevens team is yet to regroup for training ahead of next month's Sevens World Cup in San Francisco, USA, with the squad pencilled to launch their camp on Monday.
Simiyu was sacked last week following a player boycott of their branded T-shirts in the Paris leg of the IRB World Sevens Series over unpaid monies expected from a sponsorship deal with Brand Kenya. Sports and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa says he will meet the players Monday to understand their grievances.
"I need to get to the bottom of this matter and I will start by meeting the players on Monday (today) before talking to the officials and sponsors separately," Echesa told Nation Sport at the weekend.
"This situation is unfortunate and shouldn't be happening."
While the sevens squad is at sixes and sevens, the 15s team is focused on their next qualifier 2019 World Cup qualifier against Namibia.
The "Simbas" might have tamed the "Atlas Lions" of Morocco on Saturday, but have a huge battle at hand against their other rivals, especially the free-scoring Namibia, in their quest to qualify for the tournament in Japan.
The championship that has six teams doubles up for the 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup where Namibia are the defending champions.
Kenya's "Simbas" rallied from behind to beat hosts Morocco 28-24 in Casablanca on Saturday and get their campaign for the two events on the right footing.
Kenya, who trailed the Moroccans 10-7 at the break and 17-14 into the second half, scored through substitute loose-head prop Moses Amusala who completed a pick-and-drive move with a try.
Fly-half Darwin Mukidza converted for the Simbas to lead 21-17 before Samson Onsomu collected the ball from the back of their maul to put through left wing Tony Onyango on the wing to score their fourth try at the far corner.
Mukidza once again converted from a tight angle to stretch their lead to 28-17 before the Moroccans rallied to score and come within four points of Kenya.
Kenya would then put up a tight defence to triumph for the crucial five points even as right wing Edmund Anya was sin-binned for collapsing the maul.
While, the "Simbas" battled the "Atlas Lions", Namibia were thrashing Tunisia 118-0 at Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek, a week after they had mauled Uganda 56-6 at the same venue on June 16.
