Kenya Sevens players Sammy Oliech and Jeff Oluoch during the World Rugby Sevens Series. PHOTO/World Rugby
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 29- Kenya’s hopes of a third consecutive Main Cup final appearance at the world Sevens Series ended in defeat as they went down 24-12 to South Africa in the Quarter Finals of the Singapore Sevens early Sunday morning.
Shujaa had gone into the Singapore leg on the form of two back to back finals and with a hope of emulating their performance from the Asian City two years back when they won the title, but the Boks stopped them right on their tracks.
The boys now drop to the fifth place play-off and they will be meeting New Zealand in the semi-finals.
Against South Africa, Kenya were pressed right from the start and they went behind early when Siviwe Soyizwapi dotted down from a Verner Kok offload for a 5-0 lead. They quickly doubled their try tally through Heino Bezuidenhout for a 10-0 lead.
The boks continued to pound the Kenyans and a missed pass saw Soyizwapi dot down his second try of the morning and the twos were added for a 17-0 lead at half time.
In the second half, Kenya came back better and they struck just after resumption with Collins Injera picking up Sammy Oliech’s offload before dotting down. Oliech added in the extras for a 17-7 score.
Hopes of a comeback were quickly thwarted when Soyizwapi completed his hatrick and the conversion added for a 24-7 lead. Kenya thoyght to have responded when Willy Ambaka dotted down, but a TMO decision turned back the try.
Injera however showed his brilliance with the second try of the game, but the conversion was short as Kenya went down 24-12.
