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Kenya were made to pay for their mistakes but reaching the final showed they are making progress
Inexperience ultimately cost Kenya the Bathers Trophy following a 28-7 thrashing at the hands of Zimbabwe who effortlessly defended their crown on Sunday.
Despite playing at home and enjoying partisan support, Chipu, as the team is popularly known, could not use it as extra motivation as Zimbabwe’s knowhow proved too much for them at a rain-soaked Nyayo Stadium.
The Junior Sables raced to a 21-7 lead as Kenya managed just one try, courtesy of Laban Kipsang, which was converted and it was the first and only one before their rivals added another one in the second half to seal the victory.
Victory for Zimbabwe exposed Kenya’s inexperience as they made a number of basic errors which proved costly at crucial moments.
It is something Chipu coach Curtis Olago had expressed concern over even before the start of the tournament when he named a squad full of novices with only four players included from the team that managed a third-placed finish at the 2022 edition.
“We go in a bit green because of inexperience as only four players will be back with the team selected for this year,” Olago said when naming Kipsang, Mwamba’s Felix Chacha, Dave Mwangi of Kenya Harlequin and Strathmore Leos’ Stanslous Shikoli as the only members of the Class of 2022 in his squad for this year’s event.
“Nonetheless, it is a group comprising of very good players who have worked hard so far. We only have a few areas to polish and we will be ready for our rivals.”
However, it appears the areas they sought to correct were not polished well enough as they lacked a cutting edge in attack, did not have precision in their kicking with wayward passing also proving costly.
Even after Zimbabwe had Muzuva Gutu sent off, Chipu still could not manage to trouble the Sables which shows how far they still need to go before winning the title that they last claimed in 2021.
Defeat means Kenya would have been spectators at this year’s World Rugby Junior Trophy, which will take place in Nairobi in July, were it not that they are the hosts.
Chipu started their campaign by thrashing Uganda 44-20 to set up a semi-final date with Namibia, who beat them at the same stage last year, and they passed the test with a 34-13 win to gain their revenge.
Reaching the final, therefore, shows the junior side have made progress and if they can stay together and cut out the mistakes that cost them the trophy, then they will be the team to beat in the next edition.
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