South Africa, the five-time defending champions, were stunned by the resurgent East Africans, who clinched a 22-17 victory with a late try in a match that proved to be a tale of two halves.

The Blitzboks struggled with discipline and ball control in the first half, which saw them on the back foot for most of the opening 10 minutes. Their inability to capitalize on possession and their subpar performance at kick-offs and restarts left them trailing significantly.

Kenya dominated early, with Kevin Wekesa opening the scoring in the second minute. Nygel Pettersan Amaita followed up with a try just three minutes later, the first of his brace. Patrick Odongo Okong then crossed the line on the stroke of halftime, extending Kenya's lead to 17-0 as the teams headed into the break.

South Africa improved markedly in the second half, with their attacking play creating several opportunities. However, two crucial missed chances cost them dearly. Tristan Leyds got the Blitzboks on the scoreboard in the 9th minute, and rookie Donovan Don added another try two minutes later. Leyds completed his brace in the 14th minute to level the score at 17-17, but his missed conversion kept the match hanging in the balance.

Kenya stun the @Blitzboks in Dubai ??????

The TMO awards this try as a golden point decides the African derby ??

?? Stream #HSBCSVNS on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/wjz8xz1SNC

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 30, 2024

Kenya’s Odongo Okong had the final say, securing victory with a debatable try in the 16th minute. The decision, which appeared questionable on review, however the TMO was happy that they was clear grounding.

Adding to South Africa’s woes, Ryan Oosthuizen suffered a head injury during a tackle, and there was a hint at a possible leading elbow by the Kenyan attacker. Despite this, the TMO did not review the incident thoroughly.

Ultimately, the Blitzboks had their opportunities but were undone by poor discipline and a failure to execute the basics effectively.

Earlier in the day, South Africa opened their title defence with a dominant 17-0 victory over Australia. Leyds scored twice, while Quewin Nortje added a third try.

The Blitzboks will face Olympic champions France on Saturday night at 18:44, needing a win to keep their hopes of reaching Sunday’s quarter-finals alive.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport