Tough luck for Shujaa at the Tokyo Games
Alex Njue
The Kenya Sevens rugby team yesterday kicked off their Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games campaign on a wrong note with two narrow group stage losses to USA and South Africa, that prematurely ended their hopes for a medal at the Summer Games.
The Innocent Simuyu-coached side were destined for victory against USA in their first Group C match, before conceding a late try just before the final whistle, to deny them a bright start as they went down 19-14.
They went ahead to lose their second group match to South Africa 14-5, despite dominating the match.
South Africa, bronze medallists in 2016, overcame the absence of coach Neil Powell in a Covid-19 isolation and dishing out advice by live laptop feed to comfortably beat Ireland 33-14 before despatching Kenya 14-5 in a hard-fought game.
Shujaa are now left with one chance to redeem themselves with a consolation win against Ireland in their last group match today.
USA who were destined for defeat in the first match, launched a surprise counter attack through halfback Kevon Williams and captain Madison Hughes shortly after centre referee Jordan Way cancelled a try by Willy Ambaka that could have taken the scores beyond the reach of USA.
The last minute move by Kenya was intended to have Shujaa seal the win in style after flyhalf Eden Agero gave Ambaka a perfect grabber but a desperate smack by USA defender forced a knock on Ambaka to earn a five meter scrum down that left Kenya in shock after leaving the shorter side unmanned.
USA later beat Ireland 19-17 in their second match of the day.
Meanwhile, defending champions Fiji set up a pool B decider with reigning silver medallists Britain after scraping past hosts Japan and outgunning Canada on the opening day of the Olympic men’s rugby sevens at Tokyo Stadium on Monday.
Fellow sevens powerhouses New Zealand and South Africa, as well as the United States, also came through action unbeaten, but Japan went on to suffer a second loss to drastically slash their Cup hopes.
After winning the inaugural sevens competition in Rio in 2016, beating Britain 43-7 in the final, Fiji came to Tokyo as hot favourites to nail down back-to-back gold.
But they made a shaky start at an empty stadium in hot, humid conditions, almost undone by two Fijian exports in the Japan side in their opening match.
Tries by Fiji-born Lote Tuqiri and Kameli Soejima had given the host nation a 19-12 lead, with alarm bells ringing that an upset mirroring Japan’s stunning victory over New Zealand in the opening round of the Rio Games was on the cards.
But a late brace of tries by Waisea Nacuqu pushed Fiji back into the lead and an eventual 24-19 victory.
The Fijians then laboured past Canada, who lost 24-0 to Britain, 28-14 to set up a pool decider with the British team on Tuesday.
