Zimbabwe celebrated a major victory on Sunday, winning the Rugby Africa Men’s Cup for the first time in 12 years by defeating Algeria 29-3 in Kampala, Uganda.
Algeria, making their first appearance in the final, had impressed with wins over Ivory Coast and Kenya.
Zimbabwe, known as the Sables, were aiming for their second title, their last being in 2012. The Sables played an outstanding game, scoring four tries and not allowing Algeria to score any.
The match started strongly for Zimbabwe, with right wing Trevor Gurwe scoring two tries in the first half. However, the game remained tense until the last minutes, when replacement front-row Liam Larkan and openside flanker Godfrey Muzanargwo scored two more tries, sealing the victory.
“This win is a dream come true for every player and staff member. We dedicate this victory to the millions of Zimbabweans who have supported us,” said Zimbabwe’s captain Hilton Mudariki. He emphasized that this victory is just the beginning and is for all Zimbabweans worldwide.
Zimbabwe’s victory will see them ranked 28th in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings, their highest position since November 2015 when they were ranked 26th. Algeria’s impressive run to their first final will place them at a record high of 58th, up from 69th.
Namibia, the previous champions for the past ten years, including six titles, were dethroned by Zimbabwe in the semi-finals. However, Namibia managed to secure a third-place finish by defeating Kenya 38-27, with Denzo Bruwer scoring 18 points. This win keeps Namibia from falling further than one place in the rankings, where they will be positioned 25th.
Kenya’s disappointing tournament, marked by losses to Algeria in the semi-finals and Namibia in the third-place play-off, dropped them to 37th in the rankings. Meanwhile, the tournament hosts, Uganda, secured fifth place after a thrilling 34-31 win over Senegal, with Joseph Aredo scoring a decisive penalty. Uganda will now be ranked 36th, moving above Kenya.
Ivory Coast beat Burkina Faso 23-10 to secure seventh place, but they will still be ranked 62nd, dropping six places.
