Kenya Simbas assistant coach Dominique Habimana has paid tribute to the industry of his side following their emphatic 61-15 victory over Zimbabwe in Rugby Africa 1A match, at the Police Grounds in Harare.
The national 15s side was in a class of its own, with substitute Dan Sikuta grounding a hat-trick of tries as Kenya Harlequin duo of David Ambunya and Dennis Muhanji grabbed a brace each to help Kenya avenge last year’s 28-20 defeat to the Sables.
It was a performance that left Habimana a delighted man, heaping praise on his charges for breaking their away jinx against Zimbabwe.
“We were out for the win, the team smelt victory and got it in the end after a great all-round team performance,” said Habimana.
Leading 24-15 at half time, the rampant Simbas piled on 37 unanswered second half points to crush hosts Zimbabwe 61-15.
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Tony Onyango touched down the first try for the visitors four minutes into the game that was successfully converted by Darwin Mukidza converting for the 7-0 score.
A Lenience Tambwera penalty conversion two minutes later brought Zimbabwe to 7-3 but Ambunya took the Simbas 12-3 up, touching down after incessant pressure and effective ball distribution from the Kenyan backs.
Boyd Rouse responded with a converted try for the Sables in the 27th minute. However, further converted tries from Ambunya and Muhanji put the Simbas 24-10 up.
Zimbabwe would land an unconverted try just before the interval.
Mukidza extended the visitors lead with a penalty after the restart before Tony Owour got his name on the score-sheet putting the game beyond their hosts’ reach.
Muhanji then landed his brace, with an unconverted try to make the scores 37-15 up before converted tries from second-half substitute Dan Sikuta and scrum half Edwin Achayo saw the Simbas lead 51-15.
Further tries from Sikuta and Max Adaka rounded off the result, to register Kenya’s biggest ever win over Zimbabwe and biggest away win since thrashing Bostwana 80-9 in 2003.
The team which left for Windhoek yesterday ahead of this Saturday’s fixture against champions Namibia will complete their Division 1A assignments against Uganda on July 30 in Nairobi in a match that will also double up as the second leg of the Elgon Cup.
