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Kenya Simbas celebrate in a past match.

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Simbas withstand Algeria pressure to storm into Rugby Africa Cup final

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 7 – Coach Paul Odera could barely look and Collins Injera could barely have a seat on the bench; that was the kind of pressure the Kenya Simbas sustained as they stormed into the final of the Rugby Africa Cup with a 36-33 victory over Algeria in Marseille on Wednesday night.

Injera was missing the game due to injury and took duties on the bench, and his constant communication and motivation for the 15 inside played a role as they sustained late pressure.

“Imeisha! Imeisha! (It’s over)” Injera shouted from the bench as the Simbas won a penalty against an Algerian maul with 80 minutes gone and it meant a win in possession and a kick out would be more than enough.

A penalty try for the Algerians with 12 minutes to play caused all sorts of problems for the Simbas as the North Africans came within three points of turning over the game, but Odera’s charges did the most important, holding on for the win.

The Simbas ran in five tries, four of which were converted while Jone Kubu came off the bench to score a penalty as the Simbas booked a place in the final where a date against either Namibia or Zimbabwe awaits.

The Algerians started brighter and just 12 seconds into the game, straight from kick off, thought they had dotted down the first try of the game.

From the kick, the ball hit Nadir Megdoud on the head and bounced on the line, the left winger picking up and running into the try box as the Kenyan side stood waiting for a line out.

The decision had to be referred upstairs and the decision was a line out, the ball having kissed the chalk before bouncing back into play.

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But, the Algerians kept their early pressure and five minutes into the game broke the deadlock through Marvyn Youcef. The Algerians turned over possession after a handling problem in the middle of the pack and the ball was swung to the left. Benjamin Caminati added the twos for a 7-0 lead.

Samuel Asati was named man of the match for the second consecutive game.

But the Simbas who had taken time to get into the game responded six minutes later through John Okoth. The referee had taken play back to the line out after an infringement and as the ball was played wide, Samuel Asati picked and released Okoth with a sharp pass, the centre going over.

Darwin Mukidza sliced the posts for a 7-7 score.

The Algerians and their heavy forwards would cause mayhem and added a second try. They were given a penalty inside Kenya’s 22 and opted for a line out and with a driving maul, hooker Issam Hamel touched over the line with Caminati confirming the extras for a 14-7 lead.

The see saw game turned to Kenya’s favour after 20 minutes with a brilliantly executed counter attack.

From a line out deep in their own 22, the Simbas launched a counter with Bethwell Anami picking up the ball, taking a run down the middle and booting upfront. The kick found the run of Okoth who managed to dot down the ball despite a last ditch tackle.

Mukidza sliced the posts for the conversion as Kenya drew back level.

The KCB fullback then gave Simbas the lead with five minutes to halftime after some patient build up from a scrum. Asati was once again at hand to spray a sharp pass which Mukidza picked, crossed over and added the twos for a 21-14 halftime lead.

In the second half, Algeria started just as strong as they were in the opening half and within five minutes of the restart they drew level once again, another strong maul seeing Yassin Bouttemani grounding the ball across the line.

Kenya Simbas hurdle together before the game

Coach Odera made changes, with Jone Kubu coming on. The Fijian-turned Kenya made an immediate impact when kenya won a penalty and decided to go for the posts, the substitute doing the job to take Kenya 24-21 up.

The Simbas seemed to be turning the game on their side and Eugene Sifuna added another try for Kenya, picking up an offload from Dominic Coulson before sighting space and going over the line. Kubu added the extras to give the boys a 10 point lead, with a 31-21 score.

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The Algerians however responded from another driving maul with the ball spread out to Nadir on the left, the winger dotting down his second of the evening. The conversion was wide, scores being 31-26.

But the Simbas restored their 10 point lead through Bryce Adaka, a little out and in step throwing his marker off from a Kubu offload. The conversion from Kubu was wide.

The Kabras Sugar flyhalf made a superb try saving tackle on the left to deny Nadir a third try, but from the resultant scrum, the Algerians were handed a penalty try with 12 minutes left on the clock.

They kept possession, pushing Kenya using their strong and heavy forwards, but the boys held on. With the hooter gone after 80 minutes, Shujaa managed to turn over possession, Kubu picking and kicking out to preserve the win.

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