World Rugby U20 Trophy: Kenya survive late onslaught to beat Hong Kong and claim first win of tournament
- Brace of tries from Kenyan prop Mike Oduor proves decisive in 22-16 win at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi
- Hong Kong will now take on the USA in seventh-place play-off game on Sunday
Kenya held off a ferocious late onslaught from Hong Kong to hold on for a 22-16 victory in the World Rugby U20 Trophy on Tuesday.
Two tries from tight-head prop Mike Oduor proved decisive in helping the hosts to secure a first win in this year’s tournament and a meeting with old rivals Zimbabwe in Sunday’s fifth-place play-off.
Defeat was Hong Kong’s third of the pool stages and leaves them facing a seventh-place play-off against USA, who lost a thriller against Zimbabwe 38-37 in the day’s first game at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
In game that went right down to the wire, a turnover by lock Andy Cole Omolo, which was rewarded with a penalty, typified Kenya’s defensive effort and meant frustration for their opponents in a match where there was little to choose between the sides.
“It was tough today because we were physically under the pump and that became hard for us,” Logan Asplin, the Hong Kong head coach, said.
“We are never going to question their [the players’] effort. You saw at the end how much it means to Kenya and how much means to our players too being pretty distraught on the ground.
