Kenya Shujaa, South Africa on a collision course
Vincent Onyala of Kenya (right) runs with the ball chased by Harvey Elms of Scotland during their 7s rugby match in the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament in Cape Town on 10 September 2022.
What you need to know:
- Only one automatic ticket to Paris Games available at Harare tourney
- Rugby Africa Sevens favourites storm into the quarter-finals unbeaten, destined to clash in the final
The big boys of the abridged version of the game on the continent South Africa and Kenya can only meet in the final of the Rugby Africa Sevens cum Olympic Games qualifiers in Harare after both sides emphatically made the quarter-finals, but on different ends of the draw.
Kenya will meet Burkina Faso in the first quarter-final match at Harare Sports Club while firm favourites South Africa will tackle Nigeria in the last quarters Sunday morning.
Shujaa will be aiming to maintain their perfect Day One performance after sweeping aside Nigeria, Namibia and Zambia in Pool “B” .
A win against little known Burkina Faso, who squeezed into the last eight as one of the two best third placed teams, will see coach Kevin Wambua’s charges renew rivalry with either Zimbabwe or Madagascar in the semis.
South Africa, expected to beat Nigeria, will face either Zambia or Uganda in the other semi-final.
Debutantes Samuel Asati, Nigel Amaitsa, Beldad Ogeta, Patrick Odongo, Festus Shiasi and William Mwanji showed a lot of promise for Shujaa who are rebuilding after several experienced players, including Alvin “Buffa” Otieno, moved on. Asati, Amaitsa, Odongo, Shiasi and Ogeta all got on the scoresheet.
In their opening match against Nigeria, Kenya’s Nigel Amaitsa grabbed a hat-trick of tries on his debut and speedy Vincent Onyala scored a brace in a 34-10 hiding.
Co-captains Onyala and Anthony Omondi combined well for the opening try under the sticks by the experienced World Series campaigner.
Onyala was Kenya’s top try scorer on day one with five touch downs.
Kenya thumped Namibia 50-0 before easing off the acceleration pedal to dismiss Zambia 38-12.
In Pool “A”, former World Rugby Sevens Series champions South Africa, as expected, whitewashed Cote d’Ivoire 39-0, Tunisia 43-0 and neighbours Madagascar 35-14.
Reigning champions Uganda, who are coached by former Kenya international scrum-half Tolbert Onyango, floored Algeria 45-7 and Burkina Faso 36-19 before getting a reality check from hosts Zimbabwe 35-5 in Pool “C”.
Winners will book the automatic Olympics ticket reserved for Africa, while second and third placed sides will have another change to get to the Paris Games via a repechage. The top-two nations also advance to the Challenger Series.
Order of play
Quarter-finals:
Kenya v Burkina Faso (10am)
Zimbabwe v Madagascar (10.22am)
Zambia v Uganda (10.44am)
South Africa v Nigeria (11.06am)
Semi-finals:
Winner QF1 v Winner QF2 (1.50pm)
Winner QF3 v Winner QF4 (2.12pm)
Final (5:18pm)
