Injury-hit Chipu face Madagascar in Barthes Trophy playoff
Kenya's Chipu players react after their loss to Namibia in the semi-final of the Barthes Trophy on April 13, 2022 at Nyayo National Stadium.
What you need to know:
- Winger Mulievi suffered a knee injury against Namibia in the semi-final on April 13, while centre Kolian picked a shoulder injury in the same match which the holders Kenya were dethroned after losing 16-5.
Kenya Under-20 players Roy Mulievi and Elvis Kolian Persian have been ruled out of the crunch bronze medal match against Madagascar at the 2022 Rugby Africa U20 Barthes Trophy which concludes at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
Winger Mulievi is nursing injuries on both knees picked against Namibia in the semi-final on Wednesday, while centre Kolian picked a shoulder injury in the same match which the holders Kenya were dethroned after losing 16-5.
“The team rested on Thursday and turned up for training at the KCB Sports Club in Ruaraka today (Friday). Mulievi and Kolian tried training with us but realised that they could not,” said Kenya U20 (Chipu) Team Manager Peter Mutai. He added that the duo from Menengai Oilers was taken to Avenue Hospital in Nairobi for treatment.
“We will work with what we have. The deadline for making replacements, which is 48 hours before the tournament, lapsed. We had good players on the bench against Namibia, for example Laban Kipsang’ who should come into the starting line-up depending on what the coaches decide,” noted the former Kenya international scrum-half.
Mutai said they now know how the Islanders play after they nearly shocked Kenya in the 2021 final which they lost narrowly 21-20 at Nyayo.
“They have the speed and their passing of the ball is swift. They play 15s rugby like it is sevens rugby but we have a plan for them on Sunday,” he explained.
Mutai noted that Chipu’s lineouts were not that good in the loss to Namibia and have worked in training to rectify that area.
“Namibia also slowed our game but it was a match which we could have won had we also not made some small mistakes.”
Rugby Africa U20 Barthes Trophy schedule and results:
9 April 2022
Namibia 62-0 Ivory Coast
Tunisia 18-19 Zimbabwe
Madagascar 26-14 Zambia
Kenya 54-20 Uganda
13 April 2022
Ivory Coast 19-26 Uganda
Tunisia 25-20 Zambia
Kenya 5-16 Namibia
Madagascar 3-32 Zimbabwe
17 April 2022
9.00am Ivory Coast v Zambia (7th place playoff)
11.30am Uganda v Tunisia (5th place playoff)
2.00pm Kenya v Madagascar (bronze medal match)
4.30pm Namibia v Zimbabwe (Final)
