Jawichre reveals secret behind Chipu's triumph in Barthes Cup
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 29.04.24. | 20:49
The win over Zimbabwe won Chipu a ticket to the World Rugby U20 Trophy in Scotland
Kenya U20 national rugby team; Chipu defied all manner of odds to emerge victorious in the 2024 Barthes U20 Trophy played in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Chipu's reclaimed the crown after downing defending champions Zimbabwe 28-13 in the title decider.
The result not only earned the team bragging rights but qualified them for the World Rugby U20 Trophy in Scotland. This will see them mark their third appearance in the global event since 2019.
It was sweet revenge for Chipu who suffered consecutive defeats to Zimbabwe on home soil last year.
They met during the 2023 Barthes Cup finals at the Nyayo Stadium where Junior Sables knocked out the Kenyans 28-7 to win the tournament.
They also locked horns during the World Rugby U20 trophy fifth-place match where Zimbabwe dismantled Chipu 64-10.
Reflecting on the massive win, Chipu head coach Simon Jawichre said the players stuck to the plan and were stop on in their decision-making.
The young Kenyans dominated the scrums and lineouts, denying their opponents the space to score.
“This game could have gone either way. It went our way. Our boys followed the script to the latter. When we landed in Harare the first time, our scrum was not as good as it is now. This one-week stay together has made us put some locks and keys to some areas and a lot of work on the lineouts also worked for us. We wanted to dominate the scrums in this game and it worked out well,” the coach offered.
He further extended gratitude to the Kenyan fans who cheered them along, noting that their support went a long way in delivering the win.
The youngsters announced their arrival in Zimbabwe in style, beating Namibia 36-28 in the opening match.
Chipu proved too strong for Tunisia in the second game as they registered a resounding 56-17 win, setting up a date with Zimbabwe in the decider.
The Kenyan boys became the seventh team to confirm their presence in Scotland from July 2-17 as the champions of their region.
