The Kenya Simbas beat the Uganda Cranes 16-5 in the 2019 Elgon Cup return leg at the Kyadondo Rugby Club to lift the trophy on a 29-21 aggregate win. In the first leg held on 22nd June 2019 at the Mamboleo Showgrounds Kisumu, Simbas suffered a 13-16 loss to the Cranes.
Heading into the match, the Simbas goal was to win the match with over three points so they could lift the trophy and so they did.
In the first 22 minutes, the match was scoreless despite Simbas having made four visits to the opponents red zone. However, it was Uganda who landed the first try in the match as Ronald Kanyanya went over the whitewash, Philip Wokorach missed the extras for a shortlived 5-0 lead. Four minutes after Kanyanya’s try, Billy Omondi leveled the scores at 5-5 as he attacked the wing in full flight for a corner post try, conversion sailed wide.
Man of the Match was next on the scoreboard as he split the posts with two penalties, Simbas leading the Cranes 11-5. Uganda’s several attempts at scoring a try were unfruitful as they were unable to break past the strong defense put up by the visitors. In the last play, as Uganda was making way into the Simbas half, the ball carrier was tackled and held up, what Kenyans love to call “chokesha”, in the midst of all this, Michael Wanjala ripped the ball and passed it to Ojee who raced down the pitch and landed simbas second and winning try.
The conversion sailed wide but the work had been done, the Simbas had successfully defended the Elgon Cup title with the 16-5 win.
