I think a lot of rugby fans, myself included, thought that this would be the year where Kenya would transfer some of the success they have had in the 7 man game of rugby and translate it to their 15 man game. God knows Kenya has a ton of talent and some players with great pace and are very athletic.
In the recent tournament in Madagascar which would give the Rugby World Cup it's second qualifier from the African Continent that was played in Madagascar, it would seem that stars were aligned for Kenya to finally punch their ticket for the first time. They really had to believe in their chances after they beat Namibia 29-22 in the first game. All they needed was to avoid a decisive defeat to Zimbabwe, and they could pack their luggage for England.
It was not meant to be. Zimbabwe smoked the Kenyans and then Namibia-the plucky country from Southwest Africa punched their ticket for England-the 5th straight time they will participate in the big show. http://www.namibianrugby.com - with a 89-10 drubbing of Madagascar.
All this means that Kenya is out, and Zimbabwe will play the Russians in the Semifinals of the Repechage tournament. The winner gets the winner of Uruguay Vs Hong Kong to decide who will be the last team to fill out the field for Rugby World Cup 2015 in England.
Namibia has never won a game at the Rugby World Cup, and will be in the same group as Georgia, Tonga, Argentina and New Zealand. In their previous four World Cup, the vastly outmanned and outgunned Namibians have not won a single world Cup game. Can this be their time next year in England?
For Zimbabwe, a rugby team that has has to overcome much, given the travails it has been through playing in a country with a malevolent leader in President Mugabe, can this be the first time that Zimbabwe can punch it's ticket to the Rugby World Cup for the first time since 1991? http://www.zimbabwerugby.com
Time will tell.
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