Chipu kick off World Rugby U20 Trophy with defeat to Uruguay

Uruguay's Francisco Garayalde and Kenya's Brian Kiptanui (right) in action during a World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024 match at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland. [World Rugby]

Kenya’s under-20 rugby team, Chipu, made a slow start to their World Rugby U20 Trophy campaign after losing 25-7 to former champions Uruguay on Tuesday.

Despite the loss, Chipu’s head coach, Simon Jawichre, remains optimistic about the team’s prospects in the tournament.

“It was a good start despite the loss,” he said.

“We are optimistic that we are going to be better in the next games. We plan to get our minds into the game early, score the tries as early as possible to avoid chasing the scores in the late stages of the game. Our main aim as a team is to post better results compared to last time.”

The game saw Uruguay take control early on, capitalizing on their opportunities and maintaining pressure on the Kenyan side. Despite a strong defensive effort from Chipu, Uruguay’s experience and tactical execution ultimately secured them the win.

Kenya’s lone try by Michael Wamalwa was a testament to their resilience and potential. The team showed flashes of brilliance that hint at a promising future, provided they can build on this performance and address key areas of improvement.

Chipu’s next challenge comes against the Netherlands on Saturday.

This match presents an opportunity for the team to implement coach Jawichre’s strategy of starting strong and scoring early. The team aims to avoid the pitfalls of their game against Uruguay and secure a favorable result.