Back to the drawing board for Kenya's 15 a side team following loss to Junior Boks
The Simbas are on a four-week tour of South Africa as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Uganda.
The Kenya National Rugby team, the Simbas, continued their tour of South Africa with a 42-24 loss to the South Africa Under 20 team the Junior Boks in a training match held Monday afternoon in Stellenbosch.
The Simbas are on a four-week tour of South Africa as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Uganda.
Rugby Afrique will be held in Uganda from July 8 to 19, 2025, at the Nelson Mandela stadium, Namboole.
In their first practice match last week, the Kenyans drew 17-17 with the SWD Eagles in Mossel Bay to kick off their tour on an encouraging note.
In their second match, though, they could not handle the Boks, who showed lots of power in the second half to pick up the win.
Head coach Jerome Paarwateer and his coaching team rotated heavily during the encounter to allow as many players take part in the match as they eye the perfect balance ahead of Rugby Afrique.
As such, there were two teams that played. Team A and B, each earning a 40-minute cameo.
In Stellenbosch, the home side drew first blood for a 7-0 lead before Kabras FC duo George Nyambua and Walter Okoth gave the Simbas two tries with Menengai Oilers' Timothy Omela converting.
The Kenyans were awarded a penalty try before Nyambua added a second before halftime as the Simbas led 24-7.
As has been the plan during the tour, the Simbas introduced an entirely new lineup for the second half and the Junior Boks capitalized on the changes and came out firing, scoring two converted tries in the opening seven minutes to narrow the gap to just three points.
They then added three more tries to come out eventual winners, to the dismay of head coach Paarwateer who must have been unhappy with the manner of the second half capitulation his side showed.
They next take on the South Africa under-20 side again in their next clash, dated 14 June 2025.
Kenya Simbas Schedule in South Africa
Mossel Bay, 3rd June 2025
Simbas V SWD Eagles 17-17
Stellenbosch, 9th June 2025
Simbas vs SA U20 24-42
Stellenbosch, 14th June 2025
Simbas vs SA U20
Wellington, 20th June 2025
Simbas vs Sanlam Boland
Limpopo, 24th June 2025
Simbas vs Limpopo
Limpopo, 26th June 2025
Simbas vs Limpopo
