The Zimbabwe national sevens rugby team won the 2023 Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens championship after defeating host nation Uganda 26-19 in the tournament final on Sunday, October 1. The match took place at the Kyadondo Rugby Ground in Kampala. With the victory, Zimbabwe secured a place in the 2024 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament for the Paris Games.
The final match began with Uganda scoring two unanswered tries, establishing an early 12-0 lead. Zimbabwe responded before halftime, with tries from Ryan Musumhi and Tadius Dzandiwandira, to bring the score to 12-12 at the interval. In the second half, Zimbabwe took the lead for the first time through a try by Godfrey Magaramombe, with a successful conversion by Musumhi making the score 19-12. A final converted try extended Zimbabwe’s lead to 26-12 before Uganda scored a late converted try to bring the final score to 26-19.
Both teams entered the final having won all their previous matches in the tournament. In the semifinals, Zimbabwe defeated Kenya 26-14. Uganda secured its place in the championship match by defeating Burkina Faso 29-10.
The two-day tournament served as the official continental qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics. While the winner, Zimbabwe, advanced to the final repechage tournament, the runner-up, Uganda, and the third-place finisher, Kenya, will also participate in the Olympic qualifier. Kenya claimed third place after defeating Burkina Faso 29-12 in the bronze medal match.
The tournament featured twelve national teams from across the continent. According to Rugby Africa, the continental governing body for the sport, the event determines the African champions and plays a critical role in the Olympic qualification pathway. Following the conclusion of the tournament, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union issued a statement acknowledging the team’s performance and championship title.
