Kenya Simbas sailed into the semi final stage of the Rugby Africa Cup after a nervy 31-24 win over hosts Uganda at the Namboole Stadium.
In the last of the four fixtures at the venue, Kenya had to endure a tense finishing quarter hour as Uganda threatened a comeback.
Kenya Simbas start
Kenya looking to asert dominance early on would opt for a corner lineout, overlooking a chance for the threes only for desperate Ugandan defending to force a held up ingoal with just a minute into the clash.
A lapse in concertration would see Philip Wokorach gift Kenya a 22 meter lineout before Adrian Kasito ripped the ball off Whilhite Mususi to deny the marauding Simbas another striking chance.
Uganda threatened to draw first blood, Kasito making a run from deep in his territory, before latching onto an Ian Munyani cross kick phases later only to land way past the dead ball line.
Wokorach would miss a chance to put the home team in the lead, only to lose the contest to the clock, visibly rusty in the longer version of the game and its ins and outs.
Kenya would open the scoring, Griffin Chao gassing his man on the outside before brushing off Aaron Ofoyrwoth’s tackle attempt to slam it down at the corner, Omela’s attempt at adding the extra twos wide to leave it at 5-0 in favour of the Simbas.
Barry Robinson would extend Kenya’s lead, slicing through the black and gold defence after Jone Kubu drew in three defenders to free acres of grass for Barry to run into.
Ofoyrwoth would claw one back just before half time, taking a quick tap before accelerating into a retreating red defence from less than than ten yards out, Wokorach adding the extra two as Kenya kicked out possesion to send the neighbours into the shades.
Kenya capitalising on early second half possesion would extend their lead, Barry Robinson slotting inna drop kick, a sense of urgency creeping into play now.
Wokorach would then pull Uganda to within a try of Kenya from the boot as the Red defence piled errors.
Skipper Nyambua George would dampen the atmosphere at Namboole, barging in from close range to make it 22-10 with Kubu accurate from the right for the extra two points.
A set piece move would see Chao receive the ball back in from Samuel Asati to go through untouched to make it 29-10 with twenty minutes left on the clock.
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Timothy Kisiga would intercept the ball deep in their 22 to cover fifty or so meters before Philip Wokorach produced dazzling feet to leave red shirts in his wake, scoring under the sticks to less the deficit, scores 29-17 with less than a quarter an hour left to play.
Uganda would gas the Kenyan defence once again, Adrian Kasito kicking a grabber before winning the contest with Asati to allow an oncoming Byron Oketayot to ground the ball to make it a five point game with ten minutes left on the clock, scores now 29-24.
Barry decider for Kenya Simbas
Barry would punch holes to what was beginning to balloon into a Uganda comeback, slotting in a drop kick for an eight point lead, the last score of the game for a 32-24 win.
Kenya sail into the semis against Zimbabwe scheduled for Sunday, July 13, 2025 at the same venue.
