This Sunday at the RFUEA grounds, the Simbas will have one task at hand, to beat Tunisia, to Lima Tunisia.
It will be a must win encounter for the side, if we are to maintain our hopes for the African title (given that results elsewhere go our way) and more importantly, maintain division 1A status. On paper this encounter is our best bet for a win.
Going into the weekend, Tunisia are ranked 39th, with the Simbas in 30th. Namibia are in 22nd with Zimbabwe 5 places below them in 27th.
Both sides come into this one off loses in their round 1 fixtures, Tunisia losing 22-14 at home to Namibia, with Kenya falling 28-20 to Zimbabwe, in Harare.
The squad to face Tunisia remains largely unchanged from the one we saw run over Portugal, then narrowly fall to Zimbabwe. Mike Okombe returns to the squad after missing out on the Harare trip, Lawrence Buyachi and Davis Chenge keep their places after sitting out the win over Portugal.
The squad should line up like they did against Portugal, with Okombe taking up the blindside flanker duties. Isaiah Nyariki will probably partner Sammy Warui and Moses Amusala in the front row, ahead of Curtis Lilako, who has been used in the last two fixtures as an impact sub.
Ronnie Mwenesi and Oliver Mang’eni at lock, with captain Brian Nyikuli and Joshua Chisanga completing the forwards line up. Lyle Asiligwa and Isaac Adimo are likely to pair up at half back, the explosive duo of Kelvin Omiyo and Fabian Olando partnering in mid field.
Sammy Oliech, Darwin Mukidza and Jacob Ojee to continue their fluid combination in the back three. Buyachi and Chenge will offer a much needed punch from the bench alongside Aringo, Muhanji and the experienced Mose.
Looking at the result against Namibia, this Tunisian side will not be a push over. The last time these two met, Kenya were 31-24 winners in 2012, in Tunis. Before that, Kenya had edged the Tunisians 16-7 at the RFUEA to lift the 2011 Africa cup.
In total, the sides have met 7 times, Tunisia picking up 3 wins to Kenya’s 4. The biggest winning margin being a 52-5 result in favour of the Tunisians.
History will however take a back seat when the proceedings at the RFUEA kick off. It will most probably be a game of very small margins, with Tunisia holding a physical advantage, again the prevailing conditions giving us a slight edge over the opposition.
The match day 22 in full : Moses Amusala, Samuel Wauri, Curtis Lilako, Isaiah Nyariki, Peter Kaaria, Oliver Mang’eni, Ronnie Mwenesi, Michael Okombe, Brian Nyikuli, Lawrenece Buyachi, Joshua Chisanga, Davis Chenge, Lyle Asiligwa, Robert Aringo, Isaac Adimo, Kelvin Omiyo, Fabian Olando, Jacob Ojee, Darwin Mukidza, Samuel Oliech, Dennis Muhanji, Vincent Mose.
Lets meet at the RFUEA grounds on Sunday, support the lads as they Lima Tunisia!
KWISHA…Nimeruka Nje!!
