The Kenyan national Under-20 rugby team, Chipu, faced a disappointing start to their World Rugby Under-20 Trophy campaign, falling 34-25 to Samoa at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.
Chipu began the match strongly, scoring the opening try, but their two-time champion opponents quickly responded, levelling the score.
Samoa’s sustained pressure resulted in errors from the Kenyan side, leading to a penalty which Samoa successfully converted, taking an 8-5 lead. Despite Samoa’s Paul Stanley receiving a yellow card, they continued their determined play and secured their second try through William Hunt, ending the first half with a 13-5 advantage.
In the second half, Chipu started off well, scoring a drop kick goal to reduce the deficit to 8-13. However, Samoa extended their lead to 8-20 with a try by John Mata and a successful conversion.
The game intensified in the final stages, and although Kenya scored two late tries, it was not enough to change the outcome as Samoa emerged as 34-25 victors.
In other matches, Scotland dominated Zimbabwe with a resounding 64-33 victory, while Uruguay narrowly defeated the USA with a score of 33-31. Meanwhile, Spain showcased their strength with a comprehensive 53-0 win over Hong Kong China. Following a five-day break, the teams will resume the championship on Thursday, July 20th, 2023.
