- Chipu lost 22-32 to Namibia U20 in their second match of the 2025 Rugby Africa Barthés Trophy on Wednesday at the Old Hararians Sports Club.
- In their opening match of the tournament, Chipu defeated Tunisia 29-21 last Saturday.
- They will face tournament hosts Zimbabwe on Sunday, April 27th, in their final fixture of the competition.
Kenya U20 15-side men’s team, Chipu, suffered a defeat against Namibia U20 in their second match of the 2025 Rugby Africa Barthés Trophy on Wednesday afternoon at the Old Hararians Sports Club in Zimbabwe.
Chipu had begun their campaign with a hard-fought 29-21 victory over Tunisia on Saturday at the same venue but faltered this time, succumbing 22-32.
Namibia, fresh off a dominant 41-22 triumph over hosts Zimbabwe, picked up right where they left off.
This win not only maintained their unbeaten run but also served as revenge against Chipu, who had defeated them in last year’s tournament.
In a bid to strengthen his squad and chase a second consecutive win, head coach Simon Jawichre made two changes to his matchday 23.
While the starting XV remained intact, the bench saw the inclusion of Waiyaki Kinyua in place of Benedict Muiruri and Terrence Ogutu replacing Eugene Odhiambo.
Namibia began the game with intent, pinning Chipu in their own half for the first six minutes. Despite the early pressure and strong mauling from Namibia, Kenya’s defensive resilience held firm, keeping the scores level.
However, just 11 minutes into the match, Namibia continued their relentless pressure.
Their persistent mauling once again tested the Kenyan defense, but a knock-on by Alejandro Marqul halted the momentum.
At that point, Chipu were reduced to 14 men after Justine Lunale was shown a yellow card.
It took 17 minutes for Kenya to venture into Namibian territory through a well-defended scrum.
Nevertheless, Namibia were first on the scoreboard, opting for a penalty kick that Johannes Rossouw calmly slotted between the posts to put his side 0-3 ahead.
The second half began brightly for Kenya, as they struck within two minutes with a try and conversion, seizing a 7-3 advantage.
However, Namibia responded swiftly, reclaiming the lead (7-8) after Peter Campbell powered over from a maul—though the conversion was missed.
Undeterred, Kenya hit back just two minutes later through Javan Odhiambo, who finished off a superb break set up by Dennis Ndayala pinpoint kick, extending their lead to 12-8.
But the momentum shifted yet again.
Namibia’s powerful mauls proved too much for the Kenyan defense, and Peter Campbell scored his second try of the match. Rossouw converted to reclaim a 12-15 lead.
The Namibians continued their assault, with Alfried Vercall crossing over and Rossouw adding the extras for a commanding 12-22 lead.
Daniel Kipchirchir reignited Kenya’s hopes with a brilliant solo effort, though Faran Juma was unable to convert, reducing the deficit to 17-22.
Namibia, however, responded ruthlessly, scoring again and extending their advantage to 17-29 after a flawless conversion.
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Despite a late try by Terrence Ogutu, Namibia sealed the contest with a successful penalty, finalizing the score at 22-32.
The defending champions now find themselves under pressure ahead of their final match, where they will be facing tournament hosts Zimbabwe on Sunday, April 27th, in their final fixture of the tournament.
Chipu Squad vs Namibia
Starting XV
- Darrel Roy Oluoch
- Emmanuel Adoyo
- Mike Muriithi
- Leon Onduso
- Eddy Otieno
- Josphat Njuve
- John Asega
- Justine Lunale
- Roymark Maruti
- Faran Juma
- Brian Kiptanui
- Daniel Kipchirchir
- Brian Omondi
- Javan Odhiambo
- Dennis Ndayala
Reserves
16. Erick Juma
17. Tony Rebel
18. Almasi Wachira
19. Elias Owino
20. Simon Buluku
21. Waiyaki Kinyua
22. Branton Lusisa
23. Terrence Ogutu