April 7th 2019; A day that will always be remembered by the Kenya U20 rugby team famously known as Chipu and the die hard rugby fans who thronged the Lion’s Den as the team defied all odds to stun Namibia, a hard nut to crack, in the tightly contested Barthes Cup final. This victory saw Chipu return into the World Rugby U20 trophy after a decade.
The hard-fought victory was earned through sensational tries from openside flanker Brian Amaitsa and 98kg left winger Bildad Ogeta who displayed serious wheels to cross the white wash. Failing to mention full back and man of the match Andrew Matoka just 6 feet and a kilogram shy of 80 would render this article absurd. The Leos pacy utility back nailed a pin point long range penalty goal for Kenya in the dying minutes to break the deadlock and seal victory for Chipu.
Chipu, with only few months to put their house in order, are expected to compete favourably against a well structured Japan and Uruguay side. The duo has competed in the top tier, World Rugby U20 Championship, an echelon featuring powerhouse rugby nations such as Newzealand and South Africa. They also sit in pool A alongside horsts Brazil who are yet to compete in this stage.
Stay tuned for my next assignment that will entail Chipu’s battle in the World Cup U20 Trophy. See you then.
Rugby 254 