Uganda fall to Zimbabwe in Rugby Africa 7s final

Zimbabwe Rugby 7s team celebrate after beating Uganda at Kyadondo | Credit: John Batanudde

The Zimbabwe Cheetahs have qualified for the HSBC Division III after defeating Uganda Cranes 7s 26-19 in the final of the Rugby Africa 7s.

Uganda started the game slow but soon got on the front foot, thanks to a pick-and-go try from Daniels Otim. Malcom Okello, who converted that try, got on the team sheet once again, this time scoring in the corner, but he wasn’t able to convert his own try.

With a 12-point lead, and Zimbabwe reduced to 6 players on the pitch due to Ryan Mushumi’s yellow card, the Cranes looked like they were on their way to a comfortable lead at half time.

However, Zimbabwe still had more to say after the hooter had gone at the end of the first half, as they managed to pull back 5 points, thanks to PK Manyakara’s unconverted try.

At the start of the second half, coach Allan Otim replaced Karim Arinaitwe with Denis Etwau, pushing Okello to scrumhalf. This decision would prove costly to the men in black as Etwau had no offensive impact, while being lacklustre on defence.

Dejected Uganda Rugby 7s players after losing to Zimbabwe in Africa 7s at Kyadondo | Credit: John Batanudde

Zimbabwe then levelled scores through Tatenda Kamubvumbi, who caught Uganda’s defence sleeping on the fringe.

For the first time in the game, Zimbabwe went ahead with a converted try to make the score 19-12.

With less than 2 minutes to go, second-half replacement Nobert Sexton Okeny picked up a loose ball and ran for the centre posts to score Uganda’s third try, giving Okello a favourable place to kick from.

With the game levelled at 19 apiece, all Uganda had to do was defend and hold on as they were left with 6 players on the pitch due to Ian Munyani’s yellow card.

In the dying seconds of the game, Dion Khumalo managed to commit and pass the ball out to the left flank for Zimbabwe’s final nail in the coffin. Ablant Tavonga’s try came just before the hooter, and at that point it was all over for the Uganda Cranes.

Zimbabwe has officially qualified for the HSBC Division III while Uganda will have to wait again for the 2027 qualifier.

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