Kicking lets Rugby Cranes down
Joseph Aredo missed his penalty as the team shuffled the kickers. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
The points left on the field would later haunt Fred Mudoola’s charges.
The Rugby Cranes will be impressed with the kind of game they took to the Kenya Simbas when the two sides clashed in the first leg of the Elgon Cup in Nairobi Saturday evening.
Despite a dismal start that saw the Cranes trail 12-0 early, there was a strong message sent out to Kenya, who had to hold on for a slim 27-25 victory in the end to carry the advantage going into this Saturday’s return leg in Kampala.
The Simbas were out of the blocks early, scoring twice through Griffin Chao and Jeanson Misonga to send the partisan home crowd at the RFUEA Grounds into frenzy.
Uganda’s early opportunities to put points on the board came in the form of penalties following sustained pressure deep in the Kenya half.
But these were fluffed by debutant Robin Odrua (2) and Joseph Aredo, to the disappointment of the sizable Ugandan fan base that made the trip across the border.
The points left on the field would later haunt Fred Mudoola’s charges.
As the first half wore on, momentum swung Uganda’s way. The Cranes camped in the Kenyan half and forced the hosts into conceding penalties.
And, from one of the penalties, the hosts were momentarily reduced to 14 following Misonga’s yellow card.
The Cranes pounced straight away, with Pius Ogena, from the base of the scrum, going over for Uganda’s first try of the game. Shakim Ssembusi would convert to further slice the deficit.
Uganda ended the half on a high as they pinned the home side to the wall.
Aaron Ofoyrwoth fed Innocent Gwokto, who sliced through the Kenya defence to touch down under the posts and level matters before Ssembusi’s conversion handed the visitors a 14-12 halftime lead.
The two sides traded tries and penalties in the second half, with Odrua touching down in the corner while Ssembusi and Yasin Wasswa added penalties for Uganda.
Substitute Jone Kubu’s penalty for Kenya turned out to be decisive as the hosts got over the line for a slim two-point lead in the two-legged affair.
“There are things we must work on as a team, like our kicking, and some glitches in defence,” Mudoola said after the defeat. “The kicking is the reason we lost but we have to congratulate Kenya and prepare well for the return leg at home,” he added.
Good fight
The Cranes might have lost but there were many positives to take away from the game. Uganda troubled Kenya by kicking for territory and camping in the opponent’s half.
And on a good kicking day, the result could have been different.
Team captain Byron Oketayot only lasted a few minutes before he was stretchered off injured and replaced by Sydney Gongodyo.
Mudoola also reshuffled his entire front row early in the second half when he took off Santos Ssenteza, Jude Jjuko and Asuman Mugerwa and replaced them with Saul Kivumbi, Edward Emiemu and Collin Kimbowa.
The substitutes maintained the momentum of the game, challenging Kenya in the collisions and forcing them into mistakes.
The two-point deficit will encourage the Cranes ahead of the return leg scheduled for Saturday at the Kings Park Arena in Bweyogerere.
Uganda, having won the last game played against Kenya on home soil 21-20, will be looking to lift their first Elgon Cup since 2015.
Elgon Cup
First leg result
Kenya 27-25 Uganda
Return leg
Uganda vs. Kenya -Saturday, Kampala
