Kenya’s junior rugby 7s team, Moran, showcased a strong start at the Rugby Africa 7s Cup in Mauritius, securing commanding victories over Mauritius and Nigeria, only to be unexpectedly defeated by Madagascar in their final match of the day.
The opening game was a display of dominance by Moran, who left the host nation scoreless at 40-0, already leading by 19 points at the interval.
Continuing their winning streak, Moran dominated Nigeria with a 25-0 win, maintaining a lead of 10-0 at halftime.
The day’s surprise came when Moran faced Madagascar. Despite a goalless first half marked by solid defense, Joel Inzuga managed to score for Moran after the break. However, the missed conversion turned out to be costly. Madagascar responded with a try and a successful conversion, edging out Moran with a 7-5 victory.
Finishing second in their pool, Kenya is set to compete against their long-standing rivals, South Africa, in the quarterfinals. The South African team, known as the Boks, concluded Pool C with flawless performances, defeating Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Algeria.
South Africa is determined to redeem themselves after last year’s defeat to Kenya in the same tournament, which saw Kenya triumph with a 17-12 scoreline, securing their spot in the Paris Olympics and relegating the Boks to the Repechage tournament. Kenya’s senior rugby 7s team, Shujaa, will be looking to repeat their previous success on the international stage.
