Zimbabwe staged a spirited second-half comeback to defeat Kenya Simbas 29–23 in a gripping Rugby Africa Cup semifinal clash on Sunday at the Namboole Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, dashing Kenya’s hopes of reaching their first-ever final and qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Kenya Simba’s.
The Simbas looked sharp and hungry from the onset. First-half tries from Eugene Sifuna and Griffin Chao, along with accurate kicking from Jone Kubu, gave Kenya an 18–13 advantage heading into the break. The Kenyans played with confidence, pressing Zimbabwe with aggressive running and solid defensive structure.
But the more experienced Sables responded with characteristic resilience in the second half. Dylan Utete’s try, followed by a well-timed drop goal and two late penalties from Ian Prior, saw Zimbabwe turn the tables and grind out a crucial 29–23 victory to book their spot in the final.
Speaking after the match, Kenya Simbas head coach Jerome Paarwater expressed disappointment with how the match concluded, particularly the final stages.
Kenya Simba’s Head Coach Jerome Paarwater post match address
“I think the game was hard, as we expected, and we knew we had a chance to beat them. Things happened in the second half that were out of our control,” Paarwater said.
“We said from the start this game could come down to the last minute. I feel it’s our right to say we didn’t want to take the points; we wanted to kick off and play. We never know what could’ve happened. We could’ve scored, we could’ve won the game. But unfortunately, the ref didn’t give us that opportunity.”
In the day’s earlier semifinal, Namibia produced a composed and clinical performance to see off Algeria 21–7. Despite conceding the opening try, Namibia finished the first half strongly, leading 15–7, and kept the North Africans scoreless in the second period.
Namibia in action at the Rugby Africa Cup..
The win sees Namibia continue their strong Rugby Africa Cup tradition and puts them one match away from yet another Rugby World Cup appearance.
Zimbabwe and Namibia will now meet in a much-anticipated Southern Africa derby on Saturday, July 19, with a direct ticket to the 2027 Rugby World Cup on the line. Both sides have shown power, structure, and experience throughout the tournament, and fireworks are expected when they collide at Namboole Stadium.
Kenya will now shift focus to the third-place playoff against Algeria, aiming to salvage a podium finish after a campaign that saw them come agonizingly close to history.
Rugby Africa Cup 2025 – Final Day Fixtures
Saturday, July 19, 2025 (EAT) Namboole Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
7th Place Final – 10:00 AM Côte d’Ivoire vs Uganda
5th Place Final – 12:00 PM Morocco vs Senegal
3rd Place Final – 2:00 PM Kenya Simbas vs Algeria
Final – 4:00 PM Zimbabwe Sables vs Namibia
With African trophy & World Cup qualification at stake, all roads lead to Namboole for what promises to be a thrilling finale to the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup.
