Darwin Mukidza starred as the Simbas registered a 46-15 win over Tunisia in a Rugby Afrique Division 1A Championship match played at Nairobi’s RFUEA Grounds on Sunday 28 June 2015.
It was Tunisia who breached the score line first, Khlifa Eddin slotting home a drop goal and following this up with a penalty to see the Carthage Eagles go 6-0 up before Mukidza scored and converted his own try to put the Simbas 7-6 up.
Jacob Ojee would then play in Sammy Oliech who dived over the chalk, Mukidza converting for a 14-6 score before Eddin added two penalties to bring Tunisia to within two points of Kenya at the breather, the score board reading 14-12.
The second half began pretty much as the first half did, both sides asking questions of each other but it was the Simbas who extended their lead when Mukidza first curled over a goal attempt from a penalty following a Tunisia infringement before receiving the ball in motion, standing up from the deck after being tackled by a Tunisia opponent before spotting the gap and racing clear to touch down for a 22-12 lead.
Edins would land his fifth penalty of the match for Tunisia, bringing the scored to 22-15 before the floodgates opened, quite literally.
With Kenya putting Tunisia under pressure, Sammy Oliech would retrieve a high ball from Eddins, setting up the platform for an attack that ended up with Oliech landing his brace, Mukidza adding the extras for a 29-15 score.
Incessant pressure saw Kenya draw a penalty
off Tunisia, Mukidza duly slotting home the
goal attempt for a 32-15 score before Moses
Amusala set up the platform for Robert
Aringo to touch down, Mukidza converting for
a 39-15 score.
Tunisia would be reduced to 14 men when
Haythem Cheli visited the sin bin on 79
minutes.
Kenya would then retrieve the ball from a line out deep in Tunisian territory, Oliver Mang’eni breaking from the base of the scrum to set up another platform for a Kenyan attack, substitute Vincent Mose grounding with Mukidza converting for the 46-15 full time score.
Speaking after the match, Kenya coach Jerome Paarwater said, ” I told the boys to keep their cool and stay focused on the job and I am glad that they heeded the instructions and delivered the result.”
Highlights