The Zimbabwe Sables need to beat Kenya in Nairobi on July 23 to wrest the Victoria Cup from the East Africans after a convincing 49-21 thumping of the Uganda Cranes on Saturday at Hartsfield Ground.
The Brendon Dawson-coached Sables need nothing short of victory in Kenya, with the holders poised to beat Uganda home and away, and nurse hopes of upsetting the Zimbabweans on July 23 to get back into the picture.
The Zimbabwe national rugby team has now accumulated 14 points with no loss to date in the competition after edging the Uganda Cranes 25-15 away from home and dismissing Kenya 42-24 at Harare Sports Club last weekend.
They are now done with the Cranes and left with the July 23 clash while the Ugandans and Kenyans are yet to meet in the tournament.
It was fly-half Tichafara Makwanya who planted two tries and converted two penalties, prop Denford Mutamangira (two tries), lock Fortune Chipendo and Cleopas Makotose, a try each, who propelled the Sables to the strong lead in the three-team log.
South Africa-based Gardner Nechironga also scored two tries in front of his yester-year hometown fans to contribute to the 49-21 demolition of the depleted Uganda Cranes.
The Cranes got their consolation from Alex Mubiru, Timothy Kabonero and Michael Hokorachi who planted a try each while fly-half Deno Kizza converted all the three times.
The inaugural Tri-nations African Rugby Union Victoria Cup was won by Kenya last year. In the competition, each team plays the other twice at home and away with points awarded to each team after the match depending on the result.
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The winner of the competition is the team with the most points after all six matches have been played. If teams end level on points the first tiebreaker is points difference, followed by number of tries during the series. If teams are still level, then the competition is shared.
The basic points system is four points for a win, two points for a draw and zero points for a loss.
Bonus points may also be earned in any match, the attacking bonus point is earned by scoring four or more tries in the match (regardless of the final result) and the defending bonus point for losing by seven points or less.
Thus a winning team will earn either four or five points, a losing team will collect between zero and two points and a draw can earn either two or three points.
