Kenya’s Chipu turned in a performance full of fight and flair in Kampala to comprehensively defeat the Zimbabwe Junior Sables 35-23 and book their place in the final of the 2026 Rugby Africa U20 Barthés Trophy.
The scoreline was about more than just qualifying for Tuesday’s final, however. It also added another sensational chapter in what is fast becoming one of Africa’s juiciest junior rugby rivalries and, perhaps more importantly from Chipu’s point of view, a ruthless riposte to their fellow continentals. Chipu will now face Namibia in the final after they defeated Tunisia 11-6 in the other Performance Division semi-final.
Chipu Come Out Swinging
It didn’t take Kenya long to stamp their authority on this one. Early penalty goals from Faran Juma were followed by tries from Brian Kiptoo, Rayvone Ambale and Mike Lukusi as Kenya raced into a 23-6 lead by halftime. Zimbabwe refused to lie down, however, and led by the Junior Sables fought back in the second half to pull within striking distance. By that point, though, Chipu had done enough and survived Zimbabwe’s spirited comeback attempt to secure a 35-23 win.
A Rivalry Runs Deep
For Kenya and Zimbabwe, Tuesday’s final was not just another chance to move one step closer towards winning a trophy. The two sides have met three times at U20 level over the last four years. Kenya won the 2024 final in Harare, Zimbabwe claimed victory in the 2023 edition in Nairobi, while this year’s semi-final took place in Kampala.
The buildup to this year’s encounter at the top Kenyan betting sites on BettingTop10.ke was charged with emotion as a result. Chipu had lost to Zimbabwe 28-7 in Nairobi two years ago, so Tuesday represented an opportunity for revenge as well as a chance to reach the final.
Kenya’s Attack Sets the Tone
Chipu did themselves no favors by dropping goals before opening their account with a try, but they were still able to pummel Zimbabwe from the word go thanks to a series of early scores.
Had they opened up a narrower lead at halftime, Zimbabwe may have felt they had a chance of winning. Instead, Kenya were afforded the luxury of sitting back and controlling proceedings in the second half.
Zimbabwe Refuse to Go Down without a Fight
You cannot blame Zimbabwe for not throwing in the towel. That they went into the second half with a 17-point deficit did not stop the Junior Sables from trying their utmost to win. In fact, they came within two converted tries of doing just that. This fight is something of a trademark of Zimbabwean youth rugby. Last year’s final was also played in Harare and saw Kenya overturn a 10-point deficit to triumph 28-13.
The Junior Sables were also crowned Barthés Trophy winners in Kampala just two years ago. This is a team that refuses to give up, and Kenya had to grind out a victory as a result. Add to that Zimbabwe’s continued excellence at junior level, and it’s easy to see why their dugout felt confident sending their players out for a second-half comeback.
A New Tournament Format Adds Extra Stakes
This year’s tournament took place under Rugby Africa’s new competition structure. Kenya, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Tunisia were all grouped into the Performance Division. Instead of playing a round-robin tournament, however, the teams progressed straight to the semi-finals, which decided who would meet in the final.
Meaning Kenya versus Zimbabwe was effectively a winner-takes-all affair come Tuesday. Scoring quickly was essential. Catching up after losing wasn’t an option. Chipu stepped up to meet Kenya’s deadline and moved into the final.
Namibia Now Stand Between Chipu and Glory
Namibia will provide Chipu with their sternest test yet. Just like Kenya and Zimbabwe, Namibia needed to defeat one of its U20 rivals to reach the final. They got the better of Tunisia 11-6 in the other semi-final, setting up a showdown against Chipu.
The African Games champions are no strangers to Rugby Africa’s U20 competition, however, winning the trophy in 2019, 2021 and 2024. That puts them level with Chipu, who also own three titles, giving Tuesday’s final implications beyond bragging rights. The winner takes all.
Chipu Have Momentum—Now They Need to Finish the Job
Kenya have everything to play for when they step out in Kampala on Tuesday. They have momentum after defeating Zimbabwe and a desire to exact revenge on their southern neighbors, having lost to them in last year’s final.
Namibia will not be pushovers, however, and if Kenya are to triumph in Uganda, they will need to demonstrate the same qualities that saw them defeat Zimbabwe. Winning starts with defense, dominates through effective set pieces, and can often be decided by which team manages to punish their opponent’s mistakes. Kenya did just that against Zimbabwe; now they just need to do it once again on a bigger stage against Namibia.
