- Kenya Morans settled for fourth place in the 2025 Rugby Africa 7s Cup, held at the Labourdonnais Sports Club in Mauritius.
- They suffered a narrow 19-21 defeat to Zimbabwe in the third-place playoff, following a dramatic second-half comeback by the Zimbabweans.
- Reflecting on the disappointing finish in the final stages, Coach Louis Kisia attributed the setbacks to lapses in focus and precision, conceding that the team fell short during crucial moments.
Kenya 7s assistant head coach, who led the second national 7s team, Kenya Morans, Louis Kisia, has disclosed the strategic shortcomings that contributed to the team’s defeat on the final day of the recently concluded 2025 Rugby Africa Men’s 7s Cup.
Leading the 12-man contingent, Kisia witnessed his team commence the tournament in stellar fashion during the pool stages on Saturday, 21st June, at Labourdonnais Sports Club in Mauritius.
They demolished Cote d’Ivoire 38-0 in their opener, subsequently outclassed Ghana with a 33-0 victory, and narrowly edged past the 2024 champions Uganda 12-5.
The following day, despite a commanding 43-12 triumph over Nigeria in the main cup quarterfinals that propelled them to the semifinals, they encountered a formidable Madagascar side.
ALSO READ: Jackson Siketi named Young Player of the Tournament at Africa Men’s 7s Cup
Kenya narrowly succumbed 10-14, pushing them to compete for the bronze against Zimbabwe.
Although Kenya initially seized the lead in that match, Zimbabwe staged a resilient comeback in the second half to clinch a 21-19 victory.
Reflecting on the disappointing finish in the final stages, Coach Louis Kisia linked the setbacks to lapses in focus, conceding that the team fell short during pivotal moments.
The key moments eluded us. We played well in the first half of the game against Madagascar and led 5-0. We controlled possession and territory.
The opposition had a man sent off, but still, we could not kill the game. They scored two quick tries and we were on the back foot from then on,” Kisia explained, as reported by The Star.
The Impala tactician further highlighted that a breakdown in concentration was costly in the 21-19 defeat to Zimbabwe, despite holding a commanding 19-7 lead midway through the second half.
We played brilliant rugby in the first half, contained them, but could not convert one or two chances which came our way. This would have put the game beyond reach,” observed Kisia.
The 2025 Rugby Africa Men’s 7s Cup was ultimately claimed by South Africa, who defeated Madagascar 28-12 in the final.
Nonetheless, Madagascar’s hard-fought 14-10 semi-final victory over Kenya earned them a spot in the third division of the prestigious SVNS.
Typically, the Rugby Africa Cup Men’s Sevens winner qualifies for the SVNS, however, with South Africa already competing in the top tier of the global series, Madagascar secured qualification by reaching the final.
ALSO READ: South Africa crowned 2025 rugby Africa 7s Cup champions as Kenya Morans finish fourth
Kenya Morans 2025 Rugby Africa Men’s 7s Cup match results
Group Stage
- Kenya 38–0 Cote d’Ivoire
- Kenya 33–0 Ghana
- Kenya 12–5 Uganda
Cup Quarterfinal
- Kenya 43–12 Nigeria
Cup Semifinal
- Kenya 10–14 Madagascar
Third Place Playoff
- Kenya 19–21 Zimbabwe
