Kenya rugby Under-20 team head coach Simon Jawichre remains optimistic about the team’s progress despite their 25-7 loss to Uruguay in their opening match at the 2024 World U20 Trophy tournament in Scotland.
Although the team showed promise at the start of the match, Chipu struggled to contain Uruguay’s well-coordinated play. Kenya’s lone try in the game was scored by former captain Michael Wamalwa.
Jawichre expressed regret over missed opportunities early in the first half, emphasizing the need for greater clinical precision in future games to secure 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 participating in their fourth World U-20 Trophy, having previously hosted the tournament last year and made appearances in the world stage in 2009 and 2019 (in Brazil).
