Jawichre unbowed despite Chipu's loss to Uruguay

The Kenya rugby Under-20 team head coach Simon Jawichre says the team is moving in the right direction despite losing 25-7 to Uruguay in their opening match at the 2024 World U20 trophy tournament in Scotland.

Despite a promising start to the match, Chipu struggled to contain a well-oiled Uruguayan machine with Kenya’s only try in the game coming from former captain Michael Wamalwa.

Jawichre rued the missed chances early on in the first half saying they must be more clinical in the upcoming games if they are to bag more points.

“The game went well; it didn’t go that bad. I believe our objectives would’ve been met if you just closed down on quality issues here and there. We really should have posted some scores by halftime which we didn’t, we worked through it and I think we had a good beginning of the second half and individuals stood up and they scored. They got their try after taking us back half the pitch and then mauling after a line up,” Jawichre assessed.

Jawichre says they will retreat and re-strategise before facing Netherlands in their second pool match on Sunday, July 7 2024.

“We didn’t have the start we were praying to have but we are talking about Uruguay; Uruguay is a pedigree team, one of the top teams in the world and I think we put in a good fight and the game was truly beyond us. We look forward to the next one, we will put our best foot forward but I think we are in a good place,” noted Jawichre.

The Kenya Under-20 team is making their fourth appearance in the World U-20 Trophy, after hosting the tournament last year with prior appearances in the world showpiece coming in 2009 and 2019 (Brazil).