RUGBY: Kenya 15s retain Elgon Cup crown

Jacob Ojee was the hero of the day as the KCB man scored two penalties and an unconverted try?. [Courtesy]

National men’s rugby 15s team, Simbas, beat Uganda 16-5 in the Elgon Cup return leg at the Kyadondo Rugby Club in Kampala yesterday to clinch the title for a fifth consecutive year with a 29-21 aggregate result.

Jacob Ojee was the hero of the day as the KCB man scored two penalties and an unconverted try to help Kenya clinch the title.

Uganda were awarded a penalty mid-way through the first half but Philip Wokorach, who was making a return having missed the first leg, sent his kick wide.

The hosts would then draw first blood after Ivan Magomu and Adrian Kasito combined to tee up Ronald Kanyanya for the game’s opening try which was not converted.

Impala Saracens’ Billy Omondi drew the sides level with a five-pointer before Jacob Ojee drilled in a penalty as Kenya held a 8-5 lead at the interval.

Meanwhile, as largely expected, the national women’s 15s team staged a magnificent display to beat their Ugandan counterparts 35-5, eventually settling for a 79-18 aggregate win.

With the 2021 World Cup qualifiers coming up in South Africa next month, Lionesses faithful will perhaps feel the team is ripe for the showpiece if their performance in the two-legged Elgon Cup is anything to go by.

In yesterday’s match, Lionesses coach Felix Oloo made seven changes to the squad that played in the first leg in Kisumu last month and still managed to register a comfortable win.

Lionesses scored through five tries, two penalties and a similar number of conversions while Uganda could only manage a solitary unconverted try.

Kenya captain Philadelphia Olando, who tormented the Lady Cranes by scoring a hat-trick of tries in Kisumu, led from the front once again as she grounded the ball twice with Stella Wafula and Janet Okello also inking their names on the scoresheet with unconverted tries.

Just as was the case in the reverse fixture, fly-half Grace Adhiambo opened the scoring as she booted a penalty to give the Lionesses a 3-0 lead. Uganda’s indiscipline would prove costly yet again as they were penalized for infringement and this allowed Adhiambo to stretch the team’s advantage.