KAMPALA, Aug. 18 -- Visiting Zimbabwe Sables have defeated Uganda Rugby Cranes 38-18 in their last game of the Africa Rugby Gold Cup/World Cup qualifier.
The Sables took a 19-10 half time lead before they returned determined to win the game comfortably and survive relegation into the Silver Cup.
The hosts had Bryan Oketayot and Micheal Okorach pick the tries, while Phillip Wokorach scored two penalties and a conversion. Zimbabwe picked two tries from Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, Connor Pritchard, Lenience Tambwera who was also good with the conversions.
“I give credit to the Zimbabwe team because they beat us at our game. It hurts to suffer defeat at home. We made some silly mistakes and got punished,” Uganda’s coach John Duncan told Xinhua after the game.
Zimbabwe’s coach Peter de Villiers was a happy man after the final whistle saying his boys listened to the instructions and won the game.
“We are going to enjoy this victory because it has guaranteed us stay in the Gold Cup,” the former South African coach told Xinhua.
Uganda finished the competition with nine points after wins over Morocco and Tunisia, but suffered defeat to Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Namibia who topped the table qualified for the 2019 World Cup, while second placed Kenya will play in the repachage competition against three other teams to fight for another slot for the World Cup.