Kenya seal Elgon Cup double in Nairobi

 

Kenyan fans had more cause for celebration as their men's and women's teams triumphed in the Elgon Cup

Kenya's men all but secured the 2010 Victoria Cup on Saturday by putting in an authoritative display to beat neighbours Uganda 21-5 at home and clinch the annual Elgon Cup between the two countries.

The Kenyans have now held the annual Elgon Cup - a two-match series played between the two countries - for four years.

The Victoria Cup was initiated this year between the two East African nations and Zimbabwe.

Ham Onsando's Uganda started the brighter of the two sides, making in-roads into Kenyan territory straight from kick-off, but the home side scored first, lock Tony Mutai picking up Patrice Agunda's opportunistic punt to play in Nato Simiyu, who touched down. Abuoga converted for a 7-0 lead.

Uganda flanker Robert Seguya then broke from a maul deep in Kenya's half, giving the Rugby Cranes the attacking impetus from which wing Bishop Onen scored in the corner, although Simon Wakabi missed the cönversion.

With the game finely poised, Nato Simiyu reacted quickest to Oscar Ouma's line out tap and sliced through the Ugandan defence to score his second try and with Moses Kola's conversion successful the home side led 14-5 at the break.

In the second half Uganda enjoyed much of the possession and territory, camped deep in Kenya's half, but were unable to score and Kenyan full back Innocent Simiyu punished the Cranes with a massive punt for touch, from which the hosts conjured a try out of nothing: substitute prop Joel Ng'ang'a pounced on a loose ball and broke through several tackles, man of the Match Nato Simiyu was on hand to pick up the ball and release through the hands for his brother and captain Innocent to score close to the posts. Abuoga's conversion took the scores to 21-5, the final score.

Kenya women retain Cup

Kenya's women had earlier set the stage alight with a 16-8 win over Uganda's Lady Cranes, a victory which added to their 8-5 victory the previous weekend and allowed Kenya to win the series on aggregate and retain the Women's Elgon Cup, 21-13.

Uganda opened the scoring when Christine Kizito put over a penalty on nine minutes, but Angela Olum cancelled out the lead as Kenya grew in stature towards the end of the first half.

After the break, Stacy Awuor's try gave Kenya the lead and, although Olum missed the conversion, Philadelphia Olando's score put them 13-3 ahead on 52 minutes.

Emanuella Oroma's try reduced the deficit to 13-8 for the visitors before Doreen Remuor's penalty took Kenya out to to 16-8, and 21-13 on aggregate.

It was a second successive Elgon Cup title for the Kenyan ladies.

In the other action, Mang'u won the Prescot Cup with a 17-10 win over St Mary's School, while Mangu II won the Damu Changa title with a 13-5 win over RVA II. The Damu Pevu final was not played following Sunshine's late arrival.