Road to Japan : latest roundup of tournaments & RWC qualifiers

by Ciarán Duffy

Rugby Africa Gold Cup

Kenya 100 – 10 Tunisia

Kenya put 15 tries on Tunisia, including a hattrick from Jacob Ojee, and two each from Darwin Mukidza and Eric Kerre.  This isn’t even Kenyas biggest ever win, they beat Nigeria by 93 points in 1987.  Ojee got the first score of the game with a try, Darwin Mukidza added the first of his 9 conversions, and then kicked over a penalty, before scoring and converting a try of his own.  Kenya had scored 4 tries before Tunisia got on the scoreboard, Houcem Khalfi touched down for their first score. Kenya touched down twice more before Ashraf Dif got Tunisias final score of the game.  Kenya led 46 – 10 at halftime.  Kenya scored 9 more tries without reply in the second half, including a first international try for Steve Otieno.  The result was never in doubt as Kenya bounced back from a disappointing draw against Uganda with a comprehensive win.  

Namibia 95 – 0 Senegal

Like Kenya, Namibia scored 15 tries in a dominant display.  They did this despite going down to 14, Louis Van Der Westhuizen was sent off early in the first half.  Namibia still led 36 – 0 at the break.  Rohan Kitshoff got 4 tries with Lesley Klim getting two.  Namibia had 9 other try scorers in a victory that was never in doubt.  

Namibia top the table with 10 points, Kenya are 2nd with 7, Uganda in 3rd with 6.  Zimbabwe are 4th with 4 points having only played 1 game, Senegal are 5th with 1 point, Tunisia are 6th with no points.  

Next weeks fixtures:

Kenya – Senegal

Uganda – Tunisia

Namibia – Zimbabwe

In the Rugby Africa Silver Cup…

Final

Morocco 8 – 3 Cote d’Ivoire

Morocco are promoted and remain in contention for a world cup spot.

3rd place playoff

Botswana 33 – 47 Madagascar

Botswana are relegated to the Bronze Cup.

Pacific Nations Cup

Tonga 10 – 14 Fiji

Fiji have qualified for the World Cup as Oceania 1.  They join Pool D, alongside Australia, Wales, Georgia, and whoever qualifies as Americas 2 (the winner of the playoff between Canada and Uruguay).

It was a tight affair, with the score 3 – 3 at halftime.  Tonga took the lead in the 2nd half when Siegried Fisiihoi got over.  Leone Nakarawa responded quickly for Fiji with an unconverted try.  Ben Volavola added two penalties to put Fiji ahead by 4.  Like last week Tonga got over the line late on, but the try was not awarded.  

Tonga currently sit 2nd in the table, with Samoa in 3rd having played 1 less game.  If Samoa get at least 1 point from their game against Fiji, and avoid losing by more than 31 points Samoa will qualify as Oceania 2.  The 3rd place team will go into the Europe/Oceania playoff.  

Next weeks fixture:

Samoa - Fiji

Ciarán Duffy (@TheVoiceDepth) is a Leinster supporter and self-proclaimed ‘big cheese’ of Post To Post (@PostToPostSport).   He’ll write about anything rugby under the condition he gets to take it too seriously.

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