NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 9 –Kenya’s chances of making it to the rugby sevens quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics hangs in the balance after they lost their second match 28-5 to heavy weights New Zealand at the Deodoro Stadium on Tuesday.
This is after Great Britain secured themselves a place in the last eight after a 21-19 narrow win against Japan, whom Kenya face next.
Japan have proved a hard nut to crack after shocking New Zealand 14-12 in the second match of Group C that now leaves Kenya trailing the pool on two points.
Entering the match from a 31-7 loss at the hands of Great Britain, Kenya needed a win to revive their chances of reaching the knock-out round but that only remained to be a dream after a poor first half display saw them only score one try through vice captain Collins Injera.
Willy Ambaka received a yellow card for a high tackle on Scott Curry and that handed New Zealand a penalty try, just before Akira Loane used the extra space to score and get the All Blacks back on the right track.
In the second half, Akira Loane squandered a try scoring chance as Injera put in huge tackle on the line, but, shortly after Augustine Pulu made no mistake for New Zealand’s first points of the half.
New Zealand finished with one further try to seal the victory after starting on a wrong footing coupled by the loss of their star Sony Williams Bill, but Sir Clive Woodward thinks that it could be ominous for the other teams in this competition.
“They’ll have a meeting tonight and for me it makes them even more dangerous that they haven’t quite hit their straps today.”