Uganda Stumble as Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa Dominate Day One of Africa Sevens

Defending champions Uganda suffer defeat to Ghana, while tournament heavyweights Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa make perfect starts in Port Louis. (Fixtures available below)
 
PORT LOUIS, Mauritius –The opening day of the Africa Men’s Sevens saw early frontrunners emerge, with Zimbabwe, Kenya, and South Africa all finishing unbeaten. But it was Ghana’s 17-7 upset over defending champions Uganda that stole the headlines on a thrilling day of action.

Zimbabwe made a statement right from the start. With five of their Fifteens stars in the squad, the Southern Africans looked sharp in their opener, securing a clinical 31-17 win over Tunisia in Pool C. Speedster Edward Sigauke was electric, crossing for a hat-trick.

The Cheetahs closed out the day with a perfect record, overpowering Mauritius 42-7 and outmuscling Madagascar 21-7.

Kenya, one of the tournament favourites, also secured wins in all three of their matches. Their tight 12-5 victory over regional rivals Uganda was hard-fought but thoroughly entertaining. They stormed through Pool A with dominant wins over the Ivory Coast (36-0) and Ghana (33-0). Floyd Wabwire scored a hat-trick against the Ivorians, while George Ooro and Cristant Ojwang spearheaded the attack in the rout of Ghana.

Uganda, meanwhile, responded to their early defeat with a commanding 43-0 win over the Ivorians, but two losses from three games leave the Cranes in a tight spot heading into day two. Their loss to Ghana could prove costly in the end, but credit must go to the Ghanaians who deserved the win. They executed big tackles, showcased textbook defence, and capitalised on Uganda’s unforced errors with keen precision.

As more African nations invest in highly qualified coaches to guide their development, upsets like Ghana’s victory over Uganda will become more common. Sevens rugby, in particular, narrows the gap between nations, a trend evident in many of the day one matches.

South Africa’s developmental side also impressed, sweeping Pool B with convincing victories over Burkina Faso (31-0), Zambia (33-14) and Nigeria (17-5) to round off a perfect day.

The Blitzbokke started slowly, understandable given many players were making their international debuts. Tries from Masande Mtshali, Joel Leotlela, and Sebastiaan Jobb got them going, though their slick handling was tested by a determined Nigerian side that deserves praise for standing firm against one of Africa’s rugby powerhouses.

The second match against Zambia further showed encouraging signs as the Zambians took the game to the South Africans, leveling scores at 7-7 and 14-14 before Mfundo Ndhlovu and Joubert Schoeman secured the win for South Africa.

The Africa Men’s Sevens final match will take place tomorrow, with all action available to watch live for free on RugbyPass TV and Rugby Africa’s Facebook page.

Organised by Rugby Africa (www.rugbyafrique.com), the continental governing body for rugby in Africa, in partnership with the Mauritius Rugby Union.

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Match Day 1: Saturday 21 June 2025 (Local Time) (GMT+4)

• 09:00 – Zimbabwe (31) vs Tunisia  (17)
• 09:22 – Madagascar (39) vs Mauritius (7)
• 09:44 – Burkina Faso (12) vs Zambia (21)
• 10:06 – South Africa (17) vs Nigeria (5)
• 10:28 – Kenya (36) vs Cote d’Ivoire (0)
• 10:50 – Uganda (7) vs Ghana (17)
• 11:44 – Zimbabwe (42) vs Mauritius (7)
• 12:06 – Madagascar (31) vs Tunisia (7)
• 12:28 – Burkina Faso (12) vs Nigeria (29)
• 12:50 – South Africa (33) vs Zambia (14)
• 13:12 – Kenya (33) vs Ghana (0)
• 13:34 – Uganda (43) vs Côte d’Ivoire (0)
• 14:50 – Madagascar (7) vs Zimbabwe (21)
• 15:12 – Zambia (12) vs Nigeria (7)
• 15:34 – South Africa (31) vs Burkina Faso (0)
• 15:56 – Côte d’Ivoire (0) vs Ghana (29)
• 16:18 – Uganda (5)  vs Kenya (12)
• 16:40 – Tunisia (19) vs Mauritius (17)

Match Day 2: Sunday 22 June 2025 (Local Time) (GMT+4)

• 09:00 – South Africa vs Uganda (Match 19)
• 09:22 – Zimbabwe vs Ghana (Match 20)
• 09:44 – Zambia  vs Madagascar (Match 21)
• 10:06 – Kenya vs Nigeria (Match 22)
• 10:28 – Tunisia vs Cote d’Ivoire (Match 23)
• 10:50 – Burkina Faso vs Mauritius (Match 24)
• 12:07 – Loser Match 19 vs Loser Match 20
• 12:29 – Loser Match 21 vs Loser Match 22
• 12:51 – Winner Match 19 vs Winner Match 20
• 13:13 – Loser Match 21 vs Loser Match 22
• 13:35 – Loser Match 23 vs Loser Match 24
• 13:57 – Winner Match 23 vs Winner Match 24
• 14:59 – Loser Match 25 vs Loser Match 26 (7th Place Final)
• 15:24 – Winner Match 25 vs Winner Match 26 (5th Place Final)
• 15:53 – Loser Match 28  vs Loser Match 27 (Bronze)
  TEAM WALK OUT & ANTHEMS
• 16:32 – Winner Match 28 vs Winner Match 27 (Gold)

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Written By Enock Muchinjo