Captain Nyambua calls on for fan support ahead of Simbas clash with Uganda

Kenya Simbas captain George Nyambua has appealed to the Kenyan fans to support the team as they square off with Uganda Cranes in the Elgon Cup return leg set for November 11 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo, Kisumu.

The Simbas will be on the hunt for revenge when they welcome their East African neighbors in the lakeside city.

Their last meeting at the King's Park Arena in Kampala on Sunday 5 ended in a narrow 21-20 loss to Uganda.

"I am calling on the fans to turn up for the return leg in Kisumu and support the Simbas," Nyambua said.

The hungry Simbas will be looking to stage a repeat of the quarter-finals of the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifier played in July last year in France when Kenya mauled Uganda 42-7.

The 2023 Victoria Cup final, which also doubled up as the opening leg of the Elgon Cup, did not live up to billing.

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Overall, it was a poor performance from both teams, especially in the contact area. The teams also conceded lots of points which cost them.

Uganda's victory, by the barest of margins, was won courtesy of Liam Walker’s penalty kick in the last play of the match.

The final match will be curtain-raised by the Lake Victoria 15 preseason tournament featuring Kenya Cup defending champions Kabras RFC and Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Championship side Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) rugby.

The Sugarmen qualified for this stage after dismantling Sigalagala RFC 43-12 while their town neighbors MMUST saw off Kisumu RFC 19-16.

What makes it even more exciting is the ladies' match featuring Kenya Lionesses and Uganda Lady Cranes.

Uganda will face eternal rivals Kenya, who won the last edition of the Elgon Cup in 2019 after its reintroduction.

The fierce Lionesses emerged victorious against Uganda in their last meeting during the 2022 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup at Wankulukuku.

There will be only one leg of the women’s Elgon Cup because the Kenyan squad just returned from the WXV 3 tournament in Dubai where they successfully retained their slot for next year’s edition.

The side that is coached by former Kenya 7s tacticians Paul Murunga and Dennis Mwanja will be looking to bring their wealth of experience after facing off with tough sides in Dubai, UAE. While a group of Lionesses was in Dubai for the WXV3 assignment, others were in Tunisia for the Olympics qualifiers where they finished second.