The National U20 rugby team, Chipu, outplayed Zimbabwe 28-13 to reclaim the Barthes Under 20 rugby title at Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe.
This victory not only secures the title for Chipu but also qualifies them for the World Rugby U20 Trophy, scheduled to be held in Scotland in July.
Despite playing at home, Zimbabwe took the lead with Tawana Nyashabwane scoring the opening try off a rolling maul just eleven minutes into the game.
Edward Sigauke extended Zimbabwe’s lead to 10-0 after capitalizing on Benoni Nkhairo’s chip.
However, Chipu showcased their dominance, particularly in the forwards, as Iddo Kuta scored their first try from a scrum, narrowing Zimbabwe’s lead to 10-7.
Michael Wamalwa further contributed to Chipu’s scoreboard with his fourth try of the tournament, putting them ahead for the first time at 12-10.
Chipu continued their momentum into the second half, with Patrick Wainaina adding a third try to extend their lead to 17-10 at halftime. Despite Zimbabwe’s efforts, Chipu maintained their dominance, with another penalty from James Olela and tries from Andy Cole Omolo and Philip Okeyo securing the victory for Chipu at 28-13.
Head Coach Simon Jawichre commended the team’s performance, acknowledging that the game could have gone either way but crediting the players for executing the game plan effectively.
