Scrappy Simbas caged by Hong Kong Dragons in test match

The Kenya Simbas in a past match. Photo/KRU

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 20 – Dennis Muhanji saved Kenya Simbas the blushes as the national 15s team was held to a 19-19 draw at home by visitors Hong Kong in one of the two international test matches played at the RFUEA Ground on Sunday.

Kenya, who were trailing a well oiled Hong Kong side 14-12 at half time, grounded three tries through captain of the day George Nyambua, Alex Olaba and Muhanji to leave the technical bench with a lot of work to do ahead of the second test match on Saturday next week at the same venue.

In the opening half dominated by Hong Kong, Kenya suffered a major blow when Nondescripts fly half Biko Adema limped off injured only three minutes after kick-off to be replaced by KCB’s Kenny Andola.

The visitors, who pinned Kenya on their half, saw their pressure bear fruits when Jack Parfitt dotted down a converted try to open the scoring in the eight minute.

With Kenya committing school boy errors, Hong Kong punished them, doubling the scores when Liam Slatem went over with a brilliant try that was converted to give his side a 14-0 lead.

Kenya pulled one back from a push try in the 22nd minute  from Nyambua who was the only one in the squad from the team that played in the Gold Cup campaign away to Zimbabwe and Namibia.

A speedy Hong Kong side was very accurate in their swing passed forcing Patrice Agunda to be send to the sin bin for a high tackle, leaving Kenya one man down.

However, playing in his international full debut, youngster Olaba burst from the left to touch the whitewash on the stroke of half time but Andola missed the conversation to see Kenya lag two points behind at the breather.

Hong Kong started on a high, extending the lead from the left flank nine minutes in the second half thanks to a Slatem converted try that saw him complete a brace for a 19-12 scoreline.

Even with the introduction of experienced Samson Onsomu for Lyle Asiligwa, Kenya could not match Hong Kong’s performance, squandering a penalty that could have levelled matters.

Muhanji saved Kenya the blushes when he went over in the 65th minute for Andola to successfully convert.

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