ZIMBABWE’S RWC CHANCE ALIVE

NAIROBI, Kenya: The Rugby Africa Gold Cup, featuring the continent’s best six teams apart from South Africa, got underway last weekend in Dakar and Nairobi. Zimbabwe propped up the table last year and would have lost their top-tier status had there not been a one-year moratorium on relegation as part of the competition’s expansion from four teams to six. This year, however, there will be no such reprieve and the side finishing last will not only be demoted to the Silver Cup but also suffer elimination from the Rugby World Cup 2019 qualification process. The early signs in Dakar suggested that another difficult campaign lay ahead for Zimbabwe – who reached the finals in 1987 and 1991 – as they trailed newly-promoted Senegal 13-6, but four second-half tries from Farai Mudariki, Stephan Hunduza and a brace from winger Tafadzwa Kadir helped them to a 28-16 victory. As a result, they earn 1.18 rating points and climb one place in the rankings to 35th, at the expense of Moldova. The other Gold Cup fixture between Kenya and Uganda doubled up as an Elgon Cup decider and ended in a thrilling 33-33 draw. It took a late penalty try from the Simbas to not only earn a share of the spoils but also secure a 10th title in the annual contest between the neighbouring nations. Uganda can console themselves, however, with a five-place rise in the rankings to 40th, while the loss of one rating point sees Kenya slip below Portugal to 26th on the World Rugby rankings. – ANA