Rugby Africa Cup: Kenya Simbas edge Uganda to reach semis
By William Muthama, July 8, 2025Kenya Simbas overcame a determined Uganda Rugby Cranes side with a 32-24 victory in the Rugby Africa Cup quarterfinals, booking their spot in the semifinals of the continental tournament.
The fierce East African derby lived up to expectations as both teams displayed grit, power, and tactical intensity before a charged crowd at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
Kenya made a fast start, nearly scoring within the first minute through a powerful maul, but the referee denied the effort.
Minutes later, Griffin Chao broke through Uganda’s left flank to open the scores with a try. However, the conversion went wide, leaving the score at 5-0.
The Simbas doubled their lead when Barry Young powered through the defence to touch down under the posts.
The successful conversion put Kenya ahead 12-0. Uganda responded well and camped in Kenya’s 22, eventually breaking through to cut the deficit to 12-7 heading into halftime.
After the break, Barry Young slotted in a brilliant drop goal, extending Kenya’s lead to 15-10. Thomas Okeyo then added another try for the visitors, with Jone Kubu converting to push the scoreline to 22-10.
Kenya continued to dominate as Chao returned with another stunning try from a line-out move. Kubu converted again, taking the score to 29-10.
Uganda pushed back, scoring two converted tries and a penalty to narrow the gap to 29-24.
But Young had the final say, sealing the game with a late drop goal that brought the final score to 32-24.
Despite Uganda’s spirited comeback, the Simbas held on to secure a hard-fought win.
Head coach Jerome Paarwater praised his side’s composure and execution in a tense fixture. “It was a tough battle, but the boys stuck to the plan and got the job done.”
With the result, the Kenya Simbas advance to the semifinals of the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup, where they will face defending champions Zimbabwe on Sunday, July 13, at the same venue.
The fixture promises to be another high-octane clash as the Simbas chase continental glory.