The South African Springboks were back in action on game day two, facing off against the Kenya Lionesses. Both teams had dominated their day one games with significant leads and showed strong determination to win this year’s Rugby Africa Tournament. The other match of the day featured the Uganda Lady Cranes, who achieved a historic victory against the Madagascar Makis.
South Africa 19 – 12 Kenya
This was a narrow loss for the Kenya lionesses, who dug themselves out of a hole they had fallen into in the first half, as they ended scoreless, to 12 points secured by the South African Springboks. Kenya failed to maintain a strong front against the renowned tactical offensive side of the South Africans, conceding two tries and two conversions in the first half. After the break, the Lionesses returned hungry to hunt for points and managed to penetrate the South African defense and secure two tries and a conversion in the last ten minutes of the game. They also beefed up their defense to allow only one try and a penalty kick. The game ended with a deficit of seven points for the Kenyan side.
Uganda 24 – 20 Madagascar
Coming into this game, Madagascar was a favorite, having maintained its position in the top three African Rugby 15s teams and making three back-to-back appearances at this tournament. Playing against Uganda seemed like a walk in the park, but the Makis were astounded by the display of grit and determination by the Lady Cranes, who finished the game with a four-point difference. The Makis started off with a try in the first five minutes for an early lead, but the Lady Cranes responded with a try.
The last five minutes of the first half were thrilling as both teams aimed to have the halftime advantage. The Lady Cranes’ captain, Angel Nanyonjo, scored a try in the 34th minute, followed by a successful conversion (taken by Janat Nandudu) to give the team a seven-point lead. But the Makis immediately responded, with Veronique Rasoanekena dividing through the defense to cut the lead to two points. The half ended 12-10 in favor of Uganda.
The first half of the second half allowed the Makis to sneak away and extend their lead to 20-17. However, the Cranes fought back, scoring two tries and a conversion to win by four points. The yellow card given to Madagascar’s player in the final five minutes also created a gap in their offensive attack as Uganda tightened its defense to protect its score line.
Madagascar is the only team without a win so far in the games. This was a historic victory for Uganda against the Makis, as in their previous two encounters, the Makis won one match and drew another.
Next Games (Sunday, June 15)
Game Day 3
- Kenya vs. Uganda
- Madagascar vs. South Africa
