Uganda’s Rugby Cranes will once again be battling for a fifth-place finish at the Rugby Africa Cup after falling short against arch-rivals Kenya Simbas in a quarterfinal clash on Tuesday. The Cranes suffered a 32-24 defeat at the hands of the Kenyans in a frustrating outing at the Mandela National Stadium annexe, where unforced errors and underwhelming performances, particularly from the replacements and captain Byron Oketayot, cost them dearly.
Uganda began the match with a promising defensive stand, absorbing early pressure from the Simbas in the first five minutes. A well-placed exit kick from Aaron Ofoywoth gave the hosts an opportunity to launch their own offensive plays. But their first real attacking chance was squandered when Pius Ogena chose to carry the ball rather than pass to his supporting teammates, Philip Wokorach and Claude Otema, who were both well-positioned for a potential try.
The missed opportunity was compounded minutes later when Uganda, playing under advantage, had a chance to put points on the board. Wokorach stepped up for a penalty but sent his kick wide, letting the Kenyans off the hook.
Uganda’s attacking rhythm was continually disrupted by handling errors and infringements at the breakdown, particularly from skipper Oketayot. Kenya made them pay. Flyhalf Barry Young gathered an exit kick from Adrian Kasito and launched a swift move to the left flank, involving Bethuel Anami, Jone Kubu, and Griffin Chao. Chao outpaced Otema and brushed off a tackle from Ofoywoth to score the opening try.
Kenya’s second try came just over ten minutes later. Walter Okoth broke through Uganda’s defense to enter the 22, and after a few structured phases, Kubu delivered a precise pass to Young who ran in unchallenged beneath the posts.
Uganda managed to pull one back just before halftime when Ofoywoth caught the defense off-guard with a quick tap and darted over the line for a try, which Wokorach converted, narrowing the gap.
The Simbas responded with a composed drop goal from Young early in the second half to extend their lead. Uganda attempted to rally, injecting Timothy Kisiga into the game in place of Otema. His impact was immediate, with his first carry gaining significant ground and leading to a penalty that Wokorach slotted through to bring Uganda within five points.
However, the momentum was short-lived. The Ugandan pack struggled after the introduction of Blair Ayebazibwe and Saul Kivumbi. In a crucial defensive scrum, the weakened front row gave way, and Kenyan captain George Nyambua powered through for another try, with Kubu adding the conversion.
Three minutes later, Kenya struck again. From a deep lineout, scrumhalf Samuel Asati fed Chao, who sliced through a gaping hole in Uganda’s defense to touch down under the posts. Another successful conversion from Kubu made it 29-10.
Uganda showed flashes of brilliance late in the game. Kisiga intercepted a pass deep in his own territory and sprinted nearly the entire length of the pitch before being brought down. The Cranes quickly recycled the ball, and Ofoywoth linked up with Joseph Aredo, who released Julius Opio. He then fed Alex Aturinda, who set up Wokorach for a superb finish past two Kenyan defenders.
Moments after the restart, Wokorach broke Kenya’s line once again, but poor decisions from Liam Walker and Conrad Wanyama slowed the play. Eventually, Ian Munyani passed to Kasito, whose well-placed grubber was chased down by Oketayot for Uganda’s third try. The home crowd roared to life as the Cranes closed the gap.
Despite the late surge, the comeback fell short. Young sealed the win for Kenya with another drop goal, putting the game firmly out of reach.
With this loss, Uganda is now limited to fighting for fifth place, the same position they secured in the previous edition of the tournament. The Rugby Africa Cup continues on Sunday with placement matches and the semifinals.
In the placement semifinals, Uganda will face Morocco at midday, while Ivory Coast takes on Senegal earlier in the morning. The cup semifinals will see Algeria clash with Namibia, followed by Zimbabwe’s encounter with the victorious Kenya side.
